Person identification: Influencing the outcome

The effect of context and instructions on person identification was examined, “Witnesses” saw a series of slides which depicted people wearing certain clothing, doing certain activities, in certain settings. Later witnesses were required to pick out these people from another series of slides. In one condition, the clothing, activity and setting of the person was the same as had been seen previously, in the other conditions clothing, activity and settings were changed. One group of witnesses were instructed to minimize false recognitions, another to maximize the hit rate. Both manipulations had a profound effect on performance. Implications of the findings for present judicial procedures are discussed.