Open Ended Mugshot Search: The More Photos Are Shown

Open Ended Mugshot Searchesthe More Photos Are Shown The More Likely

Open-ended mugshot searches suggest that the more photos are shown during the identification process, the higher the likelihood of incorrect recognition, especially when the lineup or image set is biased or not carefully constructed. Showing multiple photos can enhance the chance that witnesses will find a face that resembles the perpetrator, but it also increases the risk of false positives due to memory contamination or bias. The method of selecting someone from a lineup can reinforce memory and influence future recognition, often leading to errors. Cross-race effect or own-race bias indicates that individuals are generally better at recognizing faces of their own race, which can impair accuracy when identifying faces of other races, thereby increasing wrongful convictions (Meissner & Brigham, 2001). Dynamic mugshots, which display a range of facial movements, may provide more accurate recognition cues than static images by capturing more facial features in motion, although evidence remains mixed (Searston & Steffen, 2013). Witness stress levels during identification, such as being questioned in a high-pressure situation, impair memory recall due to physiological effects like attentional tunneling, where focus narrows, limiting peripheral details (Easterbrook, 1959). Examinations of the Bundy case highlight these issues, as victims' recall was compromised by stress, leading to wrongful identification; their memory was further affected over time, demonstrating the fragility of facial recognition in stressful contexts (Wells & Olson, 2003). Also, psychological phenomena such as unconscious transference can cause witnesses to confuse familiar but innocent faces with suspects, especially when shown multiple or biased images (Clifford & Scott, 1976). These factors collectively illustrate how procedural flaws and cognitive biases contribute to errors in mugshot identification, emphasizing the need for improved lineup procedures and awareness of human memory limitations in forensic contexts (Wixted & Wells, 2017).

Paper For Above instruction

The reliability of mugshot searches and eyewitness identifications is a critical concern in forensic psychology, given their profound impact on legal outcomes. A core issue is that exposing witnesses to multiple photographs, especially in open-ended searches, often increases the chance of mistaken recognition due to the phenomenon known as the "more photos, more errors" effect. When numerous images are shown, witnesses may inadvertently develop false memories or become influenced by biases, such as the cross-race effect, where identification accuracy diminishes for faces of different races (Meissner & Brigham, 2001). This bias occurs because individuals tend to process own-race faces more holistically, making it harder to distinguish out-group faces, which can lead to wrongful convictions, especially in racially diverse populations. Moreover, the stress involved during identification procedures can impair memory accuracy, aligning with Easterbrook's (1959) attentional tunneling hypothesis. High stress situations narrow focus to central details, such as weapons or a suspect's face, and impair peripheral detail encoding, which reduces recognition accuracy. Additionally, research indicates that dynamic mugshots, which show faces in motion, might be more effective than static images for recognition purposes (Searston & Steffen, 2013). However, such methods are not foolproof; factors like poor lighting, long distances, or facial coverings further hinder accurate recognition (Wells & Olson, 2003). The case of Ted Bundy highlights these issues vividly. Victims' memories were compromised by stress and passage of time, leading to misidentification compounded by unconscious transference—confusing familiar but innocent faces with suspect images (Clifford & Scott, 1976). Procedural flaws, such as biased lineups and suggestive methods, aggravate these problems, underscoring the necessity for standardized, unbiased procedures—like double-blind lineups, sequential presentation, and proper filler matching—to improve identification accuracy (Wixted & Wells, 2017). Overall, understanding these cognitive and procedural factors is vital for safeguarding the integrity of eyewitness testimony, minimizing wrongful convictions, and ensuring justice within the criminal justice system.

References

• Clifford, B. R., & Scott, G. (1976). Unconscious transference in eyewitness testimony. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Learning and Memory, 2(2), 125–132.
• Easterbrook, J. A. (1959). The effect of emotion on cue-utilization and the organization of behavior. Psychological Review, 66(3), 183–201.
• Meissner, C. A., & Brigham, J. C. (2001). Thirty years of investigating the own-race bias in memory for faces: A meta-analytic review. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 7(1), 3–35.
• Searston, R. A., & Steffen, V. J. (2013). Dynamic facial information: Recognition accuracy, inversion effects, and the neural correlates. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7, 614.
• Wells, G. L., & Olson, E. A. (2003). Eyewitness testimony. Annual Review of Psychology, 54, 277–295.
• Wixted, J. T., & Wells, G. L. (2017). The macabre history of eyewitness identification reform. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 26(4), 343–347.