Perceptual expertise in forensic facial image comparison

Proceedings. Biological Sciences
David WhiteAlice O'Toole

Abstract

Forensic facial identification examiners are required to match the identity of faces in images that vary substantially, owing to changes in viewing conditions and in a person's appearance. These identifications affect the course and outcome of criminal investigations and convictions. Despite calls for research on sources of human error in forensic examination, existing scientific knowledge of face matching accuracy is based, almost exclusively, on people without formal training. Here, we administered three challenging face matching tests to a group of forensic examiners with many years' experience of comparing face images for law enforcement and government agencies. Examiners outperformed untrained participants and computer algorithms, thereby providing the first evidence that these examiners are experts at this task. Notably, computationally fusing responses of multiple experts produced near-perfect performance. Results also revealed qualitative differences between expert and non-expert performance. First, examiners' superiority was greatest at longer exposure durations, suggestive of more entailed comparison in forensic examiners. Second, experts were less impaired by image inversion than non-expert students, contrasting with...Continue Reading

Associated Datasets

Sep 24, 2015·Carina A. HahnP. Jonathan Phillips
Sep 24, 2015·Alice J. O'TooleP. Jonathan Phillips

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Citations

Nov 5, 2016·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·David WhiteRomina Palermo
Feb 27, 2016·PloS One·David J RobertsonA Mike Burton
Oct 16, 2015·PloS One·David WhiteRichard I Kemp
Oct 21, 2016·I-Perception·Markus BindemannRebecca Watts
May 1, 2018·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·Anna K BobakPeter Jb Hancock
Jun 29, 2018·Cognitive Science·Matthew C Fysh, Markus Bindemann
Mar 6, 2018·British Journal of Psychology·Géraldine JeckelnAlice J O'Toole
Feb 17, 2018·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Christel Devue, Gina M Grimshaw
Mar 21, 2019·British Journal of Psychology·Meike RamonDavid White
Feb 14, 2019·PloS One·Alice TowlerDavid White
Jun 13, 2019·Nature Communications·Dzemila SeroPeter Claes
Nov 18, 2016·Royal Society Open Science·Louise BeattieDavid White
Jul 10, 2018·Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications·Tarryn BalsdonDavid White
Jun 19, 2019·Nature Human Behaviour·Jiayu ZhanPhilippe G Schyns
Jul 25, 2019·Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications·Anna K BobakPeter J B Hancock
Jul 20, 2019·I-Perception·Hannah M TummonMarkus Bindemann
Feb 23, 2020·Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications·Lisa StacchiMeike Ramon
Jul 7, 2017·Royal Society Open Science·Matthew C Fysh, Markus Bindemann
Jul 17, 2018·Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications·Megan H Papesh
May 31, 2018·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·P Jonathon PhillipsAlice J O'Toole
Sep 6, 2017·British Journal of Psychology·Matthew C Fysh, Markus Bindemann
Jul 10, 2018·Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications·Karen LanderMarkus Bindemann
Apr 2, 2021·Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications·Dawn R WeatherfordWilliam Blake Erickson
Jun 24, 2021·Behavior Research Methods·David WhiteA Mike Burton

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