NCJ Number
121550
Journal
Law and Human Behavior Volume: 13 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1989) Pages: 385-395
Date Published
1989
Length
11 pages
Annotation
An experimental study examined the effects of age on eyewitness reliability as well as the interactions between age and other factors.
Abstract
The 120 participants ranged from 18 to 74 years of age. They were drawn from members of a local church group, parents of a local boy scout troop, and undergraduate summer school students. They viewed a videotaped robbery and later tried to identify the robber from a videotaped lineup parade. The videotaped scenario lasted about 100 seconds, and the robber was fully visible to the viewers throughout the 75 seconds of the robbery. Two variables, the presence of a weapon and the robber's disguise, were manipulated. At the identification phase, the presence of the robber in the lineup, the lineup instructions given the witnesses, and contextual aids to witness memory were also manipulated. Results showed that the accuracy of eyewitness identification declined with age. However, age did not interact with any of the other variables. The findings indicate that the effects of the other independent variables generalize across age groups. Table, figure, and 29 references. (Author abstract modified)