Event Title
Eyewitness Accuracy: Stereotypical Cross-race Group Crimes and Effects on Eyewitness Identification
Location
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
Start Date
1-5-2014 2:00 PM
End Date
1-5-2014 3:00 PM
Project Type
Poster- Restricted to Campus Access
Description
The proposed study will examine the interaction between the number of assailants and crime stereotypicality and their effects on memory using an online questionnaire. To examine whether the race of the perpetrator affects eyewitness accuracy, photographs of white and black men will be presented. In addition, the extent to which a crime is stereotypically black or white, e.g. hate crime vs. gang-related crime will be tested. Because most studies on the cross-race effect have only examined memory for viewing individual faces, even though many situations involve witnessing more than one perpetrator, the proposed study will further investigate memory for individuals in small groups. In the same-race cases, where participants view perpetrators of the same race, I expect that there will be no significant differences between any of the conditions. In the cross-race cases, where participants view perpetrators of a different race, I expect that there will be a significant difference in accuracy in both the stereotypical crime and group conditions, specifically due to increased false alarms. When comparing same-race and cross-race cases, I expect that in all conditions, accuracy will be significantly higher in the same-race condition.
Sponsoring Department
Colby College. Psychology Dept.
CLAS Field of Study
Social Sciences
Event Website
http://www.colby.edu/clas
ID
636
Eyewitness Accuracy: Stereotypical Cross-race Group Crimes and Effects on Eyewitness Identification
Parker-Reed, SSWAC
The proposed study will examine the interaction between the number of assailants and crime stereotypicality and their effects on memory using an online questionnaire. To examine whether the race of the perpetrator affects eyewitness accuracy, photographs of white and black men will be presented. In addition, the extent to which a crime is stereotypically black or white, e.g. hate crime vs. gang-related crime will be tested. Because most studies on the cross-race effect have only examined memory for viewing individual faces, even though many situations involve witnessing more than one perpetrator, the proposed study will further investigate memory for individuals in small groups. In the same-race cases, where participants view perpetrators of the same race, I expect that there will be no significant differences between any of the conditions. In the cross-race cases, where participants view perpetrators of a different race, I expect that there will be a significant difference in accuracy in both the stereotypical crime and group conditions, specifically due to increased false alarms. When comparing same-race and cross-race cases, I expect that in all conditions, accuracy will be significantly higher in the same-race condition.
https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2014/program/267