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Revisiting the confidence-accuracy relationship in eyewitness identification: a metacognitive perspective
1Department of Psychology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT84112, USA.
Memory (Hove, England)
|June 22, 2026
Summary
Eyewitness memory is fallible, challenging legal accuracy. A witness's confidence can indicate accuracy, but individual factors like metacognitive bias significantly influence this confidence-accuracy relationship in legal settings.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Forensic Psychology
- Legal Psychology
Background:
- Eyewitness memory fallibility is well-documented, posing challenges for legal systems.
- Witness confidence is a potential, yet debated, indicator of identification accuracy.
- Existing research shows a correlation between confidence and accuracy, but its reliability in legal contexts is uncertain.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the confidence-accuracy (CA) relationship in eyewitness identification.
- To integrate findings with metacognitive theories and individual differences.
- To clarify when witness confidence reliably predicts identification accuracy in legal settings.
Main Methods:
- Literature review integrating eyewitness identification research with metacognitive theories.
- Analysis of the influence of individual-level factors on the CA relationship.
- Discussion of measurement approaches from metacognitive research.
Main Results:
- The confidence-accuracy relationship is influenced by individual factors, including metacognitive bias and domain-specific competence.
- These factors affect how effectively individuals monitor their memory.
- Understanding these variables is crucial for assessing the reliability of eyewitness confidence.
Conclusions:
- Greater consideration of individual-level factors is needed to understand the CA relationship.
- Metacognitive research offers tools to determine when confidence predicts accuracy.
- Future research should focus on clarifying the conditions under which eyewitness confidence is a reliable indicator of accuracy.
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