Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Blind Procedures

Blind Procedures

Ideally, the people who observe and record the children’s behavior are unaware of who was assigned to the experimental or control group, in order to control for experimenter bias. Experimenter bias refers to the possibility that a researcher’s expectations might skew the results of the study. Remember, conducting an experiment requires a lot of planning, and the people involved in the research project have a vested interest in supporting their hypotheses. If the observers knew which...

Eyewitness Memory

Eyewitness Memory

Eyewitness memory refers to the recollection of events by someone who has directly witnessed them, often serving as critical evidence in legal settings. This type of memory is commonly used in criminal cases where a witness describes details like a suspect's appearance, clothing, or behavior during a crime. However, despite its perceived reliability, eyewitness memory is prone to significant errors.
One such error is memory distortion, which occurs because human memory does not function...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Health concerns and government distrust: Variation in types of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy by racial and ethnic group before and at universal vaccine eligibility in the US.

PLOS global public health·2026

Same author

The problem with eliminations: Why forensic comparisons need false negative rates.

Forensic science international. Synergy·2025

Same author

Incorrect statistical reasoning in Guyll et al. leads to biased claims about strength of forensic evidence.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2024

Same author

An algorithm for forensic toolmark comparisons.

Forensic science international. Synergy·2024

Same author

Does image editing improve the quality of latent prints? An analysis of image-editing techniques in one crime laboratory.

Science & justice : journal of the Forensic Science Society·2023

Same author

Human and machine similarity judgments in forensic firearm comparisons.

Forensic science international. Synergy·2022

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 5, 2025

A Standardized Obstacle Course for Assessment of Visual Function in Ultra Low Vision and Artificial Vision

A Standardized Obstacle Course for Assessment of Visual Function in Ultra Low Vision and Artificial Vision

Published on: February 11, 2014

Implementing blind proficiency testing in forensic laboratories: Motivation, obstacles, and recommendations.

Robin Mejia¹, Maria Cuellar², Jeff Salyards³

¹Carnegie Mellon University Department of Statistics and Data Science, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA.

Forensic Science International. Synergy

|October 21, 2020

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Forensic laboratories should adopt blind proficiency tests, which mimic real cases and improve quality assurance. Overcoming logistical and cultural hurdles is key to implementing these vital tests.

Keywords:

Blind proficiency testing Error Misconduct Mistake Proficiency test

More Related Videos

A Computerized Functional Skills Assessment and Training Program Targeting Technology Based Everyday Functional Skills

A Computerized Functional Skills Assessment and Training Program Targeting Technology Based Everyday Functional Skills

Published on: February 13, 2020

Setup and Execution Of the Blindfolded Code Training Exercise

Setup and Execution Of the Blindfolded Code Training Exercise

Published on: March 29, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 5, 2025

A Standardized Obstacle Course for Assessment of Visual Function in Ultra Low Vision and Artificial Vision

A Standardized Obstacle Course for Assessment of Visual Function in Ultra Low Vision and Artificial Vision

Published on: February 11, 2014

A Computerized Functional Skills Assessment and Training Program Targeting Technology Based Everyday Functional Skills

A Computerized Functional Skills Assessment and Training Program Targeting Technology Based Everyday Functional Skills

Published on: February 13, 2020

Setup and Execution Of the Blindfolded Code Training Exercise

Setup and Execution Of the Blindfolded Code Training Exercise

Published on: March 29, 2019

Area of Science:

Forensic Science
Quality Assurance
Laboratory Testing

Background:

Proficiency testing is crucial for accredited forensic laboratories.
Most forensic labs use declared tests, unlike other industries relying on blind tests.
Blind tests offer superior quality assurance by mimicking real cases and assessing the entire workflow.

Purpose of the Study:

To compare forensic proficiency testing with other industries.
To identify obstacles to implementing blind proficiency tests in forensic contexts.
To propose strategies for overcoming these obstacles and enhancing test validity.

Main Methods:

Convened a meeting of laboratory directors and quality assurance managers.
Discussed challenges and strategies for adopting blind proficiency testing.
Compared forensic testing practices to those in medical and drug testing industries.

Main Results:

Forensic science faces unique logistical and cultural barriers to blind testing.
Declared proficiency tests do not fully replicate casework conditions.
Blind tests can detect examiner behavior changes and potential misconduct.

Conclusions:

Blind proficiency testing is essential for robust quality assurance in forensic laboratories.
Addressing implementation challenges requires collaborative strategies.
Increasing the ecological validity of forensic proficiency tests is paramount.