Improving the reliability of eyewitness identification: Putting context into context

Abstract

We examined the effects of context reinstatement procedures on eyewitness identification accuracy. Subjects were 290 undergraduates who viewed a videotaped reenactment of a liquor store robbery and, in a later session, attempted to identify the robber from a lineup parade. Two types of context reinstatement procedures were examined together with eight encoding, storage, and retrieval variables manipulated within the stimulus videotape and the lineup procedures. Disguise of the robber impaired identification accuracy ( p <.05). There was a significant interaction between disguise and the context reinstatement interview ( p <.01) such that the context reinstatement interview had a stronger impact on identification accuracy in the high-disguise condition. Lineup cues interacted with lineup composition ( p <.05), retention interval ( p = .01), and exposure to mug shots ( p = .05; although in a manner contrary to our expectation). These interactions indicated that lineup context cues improved identification accuracy in the high-similarity, 2-week retention interval, and no mug-shots conditions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)