Stress, stress-induced cortisol responses, and eyewitness identification performance

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neurobiology
• Forensic Science

Background:

• Eyewitness identification research often assumes stress impairs performance.
• Neurobiology suggests stress hormones aid memory formation.
• Discrepancies may stem from differing methodologies, like testing intervals and stressor effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effect of laboratory-induced stress on eyewitness identification.
• To reconcile conflicting findings between eyewitness and neurobiology research.
• To examine identification accuracy after a one-week retention interval.

Main Methods:

• 123 participants witnessed a staged theft under stress or control conditions.
• Autonomic and glucocorticoid stress responses were measured.
• Participants attempted identification from lineups one week later.

Main Results:

• Stress did not produce robust detrimental effects on eyewitness identification.
• Regression and receiver operating characteristic analyses supported these findings.
• Cortisol levels confirmed effective stress induction.

Conclusions:

• The study's findings challenge the assumption that stress inherently impairs eyewitness memory.
• Methodological considerations are crucial when studying stress and memory.
• Further research may clarify the nuanced relationship between stress and identification accuracy.