ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: POINTLESS OR NECESSARY?Grace Desjardins

The Academy of Notre Dame de Namur

Grade 9

PROBLEM

Will added information lead to a more accurate accusation of a criminal?

RESEARCH

Photo line-ups must contain 6 or more images Same size, color, etc. People must look similar, but only one can be involved

in the crime Looking at pictures from a photo line-up one by

one can allow people to make more accurate judgments. Must decide whether or not the photo is of the criminal

each time Don’t know what the next picture looks like

What is said before showing the line-up can affect the choices Confidence level changes Details can’t always be remembered exactly, so new

images are formed.

HYPOTHESIS

If a summary of information about the criminal is given to the people choosing the criminal, then the results of the accusations picked from the line-up will improve.

REQUIRED MATERIALS

Camera (that can take both pictures and videos)

Summary of information about the “suspect” Papers

Permission Slips Voting Papers

Subjects Which Can Be Tested 2 volunteers to participate in filming and

preparing the summary 2 classes of students to pick the “criminal” from

the photo line-up

PROCEDURE A video was created of the “crime scene”. A picture were taken of the “suspect”. “Filler” pictures were created on a computer. The “suspect” photo was shown to two volunteers. The volunteers wrote a description of the “suspect”. A short summary of the information collected was written. One group of students was shown the video of the “crime

scene”, which was followed by the photo line-up. The students were asked to pick the “suspect”. Votes were written down.

The second group was shown the video and photo line-up after the summary was read to them twice. They were asked to pick the “suspect”. Votes were written down.

The results were recorded and compared.

VARIABLES

Control Group that was shown only the video and photo

line-up Independent

Group that heard the summary and was shown the video and photo line-up

Dependent Accuracy of the votes

Constants Video Photo Line-up

Order of the pictures within the line-up The day the experiment was performed

DATA COMPARISONSA Look at Correct vs. Incorrect

PHOTO 1 VS. PHOTO 3

Photo 1 Photo 30

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Series1

Photo 1 Photo 30

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Series1

Group 1 Group 2

Num

ber

of

Vote

s Pe

r Photo

Num

ber

of

Vote

s Pe

r Photo

PHOTO 2 VS. PHOTO 3

Group 1 Group 2

Photo 2 Photo 30

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Series1

Photo 2 Photo 30

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Series1N

um

ber

of

Vote

s Pe

r Photo

Num

ber

of

Vote

s Pe

r Photo

PHOTO 4 VS. PHOTO 3

Group 1 Group 2

Photo 1 Photo 30

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Series1

Photo 4 Photo 30

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Series1N

um

ber

of

Vote

s Pe

r Photo

Num

ber

of

Vote

s Pe

r Photo

PHOTO 5 VS. PHOTO 1

Group 1 Group 2

Photo 5 Photo 30

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Series1

Photo 5 Photo 30

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Series1N

um

ber

of

Vote

s Pe

r Photo

Num

ber

of

Vote

s Pe

r Photo

PHOTO 6 VS. PHOTO 3

Group 1 Group 2

Photo 6 Photo 30

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Series1

Photo 6 Photo 30

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Series1N

um

ber

of

Vote

s Pe

r Photo

Num

ber

of

Vote

s Pe

r Photo

UNDECIDED VS. PHOTO 3

Group 1 Group 2

Photo 6 Photo 30

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Series1

Photo 6 Photo 30

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Series1N

um

ber

of

Vote

s Pe

r Photo

Num

ber

of

Vote

s Pe

r Photo

CONCLUSION

Hypothesis: “If a summary of information about the criminal is given to the people choosing the criminal, then the results of the accusations picked from the line-up will improve.” Not supported for the following possible reasons:

Looked for details vs. whole picture Overwhelmed by number of details given Perception of information differs from person to person

What Went Wrong, Improvements & Advancements: Pictures should not be so similar Create a longer video or shorter summary Not one should be given the option of

“undecided” unless informed beforehand

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Sources: Barker, Barry M. "Photo Line-Up." Becoming a Police Officer: An Insider's Guide for a

Career in Law Enforcement. Web. Oct. 2010. <http://careerpoliceofficer.com/PoliceandVictims/photo_line-up.html>.

Dittmann, Melissa. "Psychological Sleuths--Accuracy and the Accused." American Psychological Association (APA). Web. Oct. 2010. <http://www.apa.org/monitor/julaug04/accuracy.aspx>.

EasyBib: Free Bibliography Maker - MLA, APA, Chicago Citation Styles. Web. 31 Oct. 2010. <http://easybib.com/>.

Malpass, Roy S. "A Lineup Evaluation "Do-It-Yourself Kit" for Attorneys and Law Enforcement." Web. Oct. 2010. <http://eyewitness.utep.edu/Documents/DIY%20Kit.pdf>.

Science Fair Project Ideas, Answers, & Tools. Web. Oct. 2010. <http://sciencebuddies.com>.

SpringerLink. Web. 31 Oct. 2010. <http://www.springerlink.com/content/n1574627h45021k2/>.

Steblay, Nancy, Jennifer Dysart, Solomon Fulero, and R.C.L. Lindsay. "Eyewitness Accuracy Rates in Sequential and Simultaneous Lineup Presentations: A Meta-Analytic Comparison." Law and Human Behavior 25.5 (2001). Web. Oct. 2010. <http://nysda.org/Hot_Topics/Eyewitness_Evidence/EyewitnessAccuracyRates.pdf>.

Thank you to everyone in attendance for listening to my presentations. I would love to answer any questions that you may have.