Visual Attentional Pattern of the Eyewitness in a Mock Crime with Weapon Presence

Abstract

The weapon focus effect is defined as eyewitnesses focus more on weapons than other details(e.g., perpetrator) of the crime scene which cause memory bias. The present study investigated how the presence of a weapon affects the visual attention and memory of the eyewitness. Participants were randomized within two groups: the weapon focus effect condition(WC) and the novelty condition(NC). The participants' visual attention pattern(dwell time) was measured while participants were observing the interaction between the two individuals(clerk and customer) at the mock crime slide show. At the end of the experiment, the participants were asked about what they saw on the slide show. As a result, it was confirmed that the weapon condition showed a different attention pattern from those in the non-weapon condition. Overall, both groups were found to spend more time on target objects(knife/cashier's check), but WC participants spent longer time on clerks when weapons were presented than NC participants. On the other hand, in both groups, there was no difference in memory. This study provided evidence for the visual attention patterns of eyewitnesses at simulated crime scenes with weapons.