Testing encoding specificity and the diagnostic feature-detection theory of eyewitness identification, with implications for showups, lineups, and partially disguised perpetrators

The diagnostic feature-detection theory (DFT) of eyewitness identification is based on facial information that is diagnostic versus non-diagnostic of suspect guilt. It primarily has been tested by discounting non-diagnostic information at retrieval, typically by surrounding a single suspect showup w...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cognitive research: principles and implications 2021-03, Vol.6 (1), p.14-14, Article 14
Main Authors: Carlson, Curt A., Hemby, Jacob A., Wooten, Alex R., Jones, Alyssa R., Lockamyeir, Robert F., Carlson, Maria A., Dias, Jennifer L., Whittington, Jane E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Criminals
Diagnostic feature-detection theory
Encoding specificity
Experimental Psychology
Eyewitness identification
Identification
Neurosciences
Original
Original Article
Police
Prediction
Psychology
Recall (Psychology)
Recognition (Psychology)
Showup
Simultaneous lineup
Visual Discrimination
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Summary:The diagnostic feature-detection theory (DFT) of eyewitness identification is based on facial information that is diagnostic versus non-diagnostic of suspect guilt. It primarily has been tested by discounting non-diagnostic information at retrieval, typically by surrounding a single suspect showup with good fillers to create a lineup. We tested additional DFT predictions by manipulating the presence of facial information (i.e., the exterior region of the face) at both encoding and retrieval with a large between-subjects factorial design ( N  = 19,414). In support of DFT and in replication of the literature, lineups yielded higher discriminability than showups. In support of encoding specificity, conditions that matched information between encoding and retrieval were generally superior to mismatch conditions. More importantly, we supported several DFT and encoding specificity predictions not previously tested, including that (a) adding non-diagnostic information will reduce discriminability for showups more so than lineups, and (b) removing diagnostic information will lower discriminability for both showups and lineups. These results have implications for police deciding whether to conduct a showup or a lineup, and when dealing with partially disguised perpetrators (e.g., wearing a hoodie).
ISSN:2365-7464
2365-7464
DOI:10.1186/s41235-021-00276-3