Identification performance across the life span: Lineups and the reaction time-based Concealed Information Test

Abstract

Cognitive and social factors can deteriorate eyewitness identification performance in children and older adults. An identification procedure that mitigates the effect of such factors could be beneficial for child and older adult witnesses. In a field experiment, we mapped identification performance in a large community sample (N = 1239) across the lifespan (ages 6–79 years) for two different identification procedures: classic lineups and reaction time-based Concealed Information Test (RT-CIT). Visitors of a science museum or science fair witnessed a recorded mock theft and then took either a classic lineup, or the RT-CIT. Young adults (18–35-year-olds) outperformed younger and older age groups in lineup performance. The RT-CIT showed a moderate capacity to diagnose face recognition and absence of recognition in the target-absent condition. Age did not affect identification with the RT-CIT. However, children were often not able to follow the RT-CIT instructions, leading to a large number of exclusions. A direct comparison of lineup vs. RT-CIT performance showed that children and adolescents showed better identification performance in RT-CIT than lineups. For young adults, there was no difference between the two procedures. The trend turned around at mid-adult age who showed better identification performance when they were given a lineup compared to an RT-CIT. These findings suggest that the RT-CIT might be considered an alternative identification procedure for children and adolescents, offering protection for innocent suspects.