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The target-to-foils shift in simultaneous and sequential lineups.

Steven E Clark1, Sherrie L Davey

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA. steven.clark@ucr.edu

Law and Human Behavior
|May 26, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Eyewitnesses making identification decisions sometimes pick the wrong person if the correct suspect is absent. This study found that the "target-to-foils shift" occurred similarly in simultaneous and sequential lineups, challenging existing theories.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Forensic Psychology

Background:

  • Eyewitness identification relies on the assumption that witnesses make relative judgments in simultaneous lineups.
  • A target-to-foils shift occurs when witnesses select an innocent person (foil) instead of rejecting the lineup if the actual target is absent.
  • Sequential lineups are theorized to reduce relative judgments, potentially decreasing the target-to-foils shift.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the target-to-foils shift in both simultaneous and sequential eyewitness identification lineups.
  • To examine whether sequential lineups reduce the target-to-foils shift compared to simultaneous lineups.
  • To understand the underlying decision-making processes in different lineup procedures.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

  • Two experiments were conducted comparing simultaneous and sequential lineup procedures.
  • Participants viewed lineups with or without the target present.
  • Response patterns were analyzed to identify the target-to-foils shift and decision criteria.

    • Main Results:

    • Sequential lineups showed an overall accuracy advantage.
    • A significant target-to-foils shift was observed in both simultaneous and sequential lineups, with no significant difference in magnitude.
    • The target-to-foils shift in sequential lineups was influenced by order effects and decision criteria shifts.

    Conclusions:

    • The target-to-foils shift occurs in both simultaneous and sequential lineups, contrary to theoretical expectations.
    • The assumption that sequential lineups eliminate relative judgments may be an oversimplification.
    • Further research is needed to fully elucidate the cognitive processes governing eyewitness identification decisions in various lineup formats.