Mindfulness in face recognition: Embedding mindfulness instructions in the face‐composite construction process

Abstract

Meditative mindfulness practices, promoting sustained attention and reducing mind-wandering, have been associated with improvements in cognitive abilities and memory. The present study explored whether a non-meditative practice could be successfully applied in a forensic application; specifically, whether mindfulness instructions can be embedded in the face-composite construction process to facilitate identification. Twenty participants, who were not football fans, were asked to memorise an unfamiliar footballer's face and return 24 hr later to construct a face using the self-administered EvoFIT facial composite system. In the experimental condition, mindfulness instructions were embedded in the EvoFIT system, encouraging witnesses to focus on the target face and the process; in the control condition, participants constructed the face using the standard EvoFIT system. Naming of the composites was attempted by 24 football fans, who each viewed 10 composites, five from each condition, and then the target footballer images to ensure they were familiar with the identities. Results showed significantly higher levels of correct naming for composites constructed using EvoFIT with mindfulness instructions compared to using the standard EvoFIT. These findings indicate the potential for non-meditative mindfulness instructions to assist face-composite construction, improving correct naming of ensuing composites.

Composite communication: how dissemination of facial composites in the media affects police investigations

“…Finally, Giannou et al (2021) investigated whether another interviewing method could improve the quality of facial composites, specifically, mindfulness. First, participants studied an unfamiliar target face.…”

Fixing the stimulus-as-a-fixed-effect fallacy in forensically valid face-composite research.

“…GEE does not allow for random-effects in the data model and so it is not suited to the types of analysis it has been employed in within the face-composite literature. GEE has been a popular methodology recently for assessing composite naming even after a by-items ANOVA has been found to be marginally nonsignificant (e.g., Giannou et al, 2021).…”

Attentional Features of Mindfulness are Better Predictors of Face Recognition than Empathy and Compassion-Based Constructs

“…Specific to recognition memory, research has reported a positive relationship between trait mindfulness and object ( Brown et al, 2016 ) and word ( Rosenstreich & Ruderman, 2016 ) recognition memory, and fewer false memories in word tasks, when mindfulness practices were applied post-encoding (e.g., Lloyd et al, 2016 ; Calvillo et al, 2018 ; but see Rosenstreich, 2016 ). Relevant to face recognition processes, research has reported brief mindfulness-based practices to lead to better memory recall in eyewitness processes ( Giannou et al, 2021 ; Hammond et al, 2006 ; Wagstaff et al, 2004 ) and significant increases in short-term memory capacity for faces, measured pre- and post-intervention ( Youngs et al, 2020 ). Although these studies have explored the effects of mindfulness training, they suggest enhanced mindfulness levels to support face recognition.…”