Identification Accuracy of Adolescent Eyewitnesses: The Role of Familiarity and Lineup Procedure

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to examine the role of familiarity and lineup procedure on eyewitness identification accuracy. Familiarity was manipulated wherein adolescent participants (N = 623): (1) met with and directly interacted with a confederate, (2) indirectly interacted with a confederate, or (3) did not meet a confederate, before they viewed a crime video in which the confederate was the perpetrator. Three commonly used lineup procedures (i.e., simultaneous, sequential, and elimination-plus) were used, and the presence of the target also was manipulated. Overall, familiarity and lineup procedure impacted identification accuracy, such that in target-present lineups, witnesses were more likely to make a correct identification when they were more familiar (i.e., had direct interaction) with the perpetrator and the sequential procedure was used. Furthermore, in target-absent lineups, witnesses were more likely to make a correct rejection when they were more familiar (i.e., had direct interaction) with the perpetrator and the simultaneous or elimination-plus procedure was used. Taken together, these findings suggest that familiarity, in terms of having a direct interaction with a perpetrator before the commission of a crime, positively influences identification accuracy. Furthermore, these findings provide new, important information regarding the simultaneous-sequential debate and the utility of commonly used lineup procedures when the witness is familiar with the perpetrator. FAMILIARITY AND LINEUP PROCEDURE iii Acknowledgements I would like to thank a number of people who have assisted with the completion of this project. First, I would like to thank my supervisor, Dr. Joanna Pozzulo for your unwavering support, guidance, and feedback throughout this process and my time at Carleton University. I am extremely grateful for all of the hours you have spent mentoring me and providing valuable feedback. You have provided me with a number of amazing opportunities to learn how to be a researcher, teacher, and mentor. Without your support, encouragement, and enthusiasm for research, the completion of this project would not have been possible. I would also like to thank and acknowledge the members of my committee, Dr. Craig Bennell and Dr. Shelley Brown. Thank you for all of your guidance, support, and feedback on this project. I would also like to thank Dr. Diana Majury and Dr. Brian Cutler for taking time from their busy schedules to sit on my committee. A thank you is also necessary to June Callendar, as Departmental Advisor and Etelle Bourassa, as Graduate Studies Administer. You both have been vital in my journey as a PhD student and I could not have completed this without your help. I would also like to thank and acknowledge all of the members of the research team for the assistance they have provided over the past few years and towards the completion of this project. I thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to assist with the many data collections all over the city. To the graduate student...