Children’s Ability to Identify Perpetrators in a Lineup Within A Moral Context

• In Event: Poster Session 03
  In Poster Session: PS 03 Topic - Attention, Learning, Memory

Abstract

The present study investigated 3- to 5-year-old children's ability to identify perpetrators in a lineup. This type of identification is an essential element of criminal investigations. In some investigations involving children, they are the only eyewitnesses. Thus, the importance of understanding their ability to do lineup identifications. Children’s ability to provide accurate identification is linked to their moral understanding of right and wrong (Spring, Saltzstein, & Peach 2013). For example, when presented with videos of moral transgressions, older children (9 years) had more identifications and referenced their morals when justifying the seriousness of a false accusation more than younger children (6 years; Spring et. al, 2013). Our investigation addressed lineup identification across different types of transgressions. Smetana and Ball (2018) identified three types of moral transgressions: physical harm, resource violations, and psychological harm. Children as young as four years view physical harm as more wrong, deserving of punishment, independent of existing rules and authority figures, and intended than either psychological harm or resource violation (Smetana & Ball, 2018).

Children were presented with six vignettes, two for each of the three different types of moral transgressions. Each vignette was accompanied by a picture of two children and a target object (see Figure 1). Children were then shown a lineup, which consisted of six photos; one of the perpetrator, one of the friend, and four new faces (see Figure 2). After identifying the character whom they believed to be the perpetrator, children judged the moral transgression. Lastly, children assigned deserved punishment to the perpetrator.

Sixty children completed all six vignettes (M age = 49.6 months SD = 6.87; 27 boys, 33 girls). Children performed better than chance at identifying the perpetrators in the lineup, t (59) = 14.22, p < .001, and older children (> 49 months) outperformed younger (
The findings suggest that 3-to-5-year-old children’s ability to accurately identify a perpetrator in a lineup is reliant on their judgment of the action. Children viewed physical harm as the most heinous moral transgression, and they more accurately identified perpetrators of physical harm. These findings fill a gap in testimony literature by suggesting that preschool aged children are most reliable as eyewitnesses when asked to identify a perpetrator of a physical harm transgression as compared to psychological harm or resource violation.

Authors

• Claire J Wilson, Colby College
  Presenting Author

• Francesca C. W. Singer, Colby College
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sarah A. Ehrlich, Colby College
  Non-Presenting Author

• Martha E. Arterberry, Colby College
  Non-Presenting Author