Eyewitness Identification Exercise
This exercise simulates what a real eyewitness goes through after witnessing a crime.
You will:
- Watch a short video of a crime in a bookshop.
- Complete a brief word task (2 minutes) to simulate the delay before a police interview.
- Attempt to identify the perpetrator from two lineups — one sequential (faces one at a time) and one simultaneous (all faces together). The order of these is randomised between readers.
- See the video again and find out how you did, along with results from other readers.
Pay close attention to the perpetrator's face when you watch the video. You will only see it once.
Watch the Crime
Watch carefully. After it ends, a button will appear to continue.
Word Anagrams
Unscramble the words below. This represents the delay between witnessing a crime and being asked to identify someone. The task ends automatically after 2 minutes.
Anagram 1 of
Sequential Lineup: Instructions
You will now see nine photographs, one at a time.
For each photograph, decide: Is this the person you saw in the video?
- If you think this is the person, click "This is the person".
- If you think this is not the person, click "Next".
- You cannot go back. If you reach the end without selecting anyone, that counts as a rejection.
The perpetrator may or may not be present. Do not feel you have to choose someone.
Sequential Lineup
Face 1 of 9
Simultaneous Lineup: Instructions
You will now see all nine people at once.
- Look at all nine carefully before deciding.
- Select the number of the person you believe is the perpetrator.
- Choose "Not present" if you believe the perpetrator is not in the lineup.
Simultaneous Lineup
Select the number of the person you think is the perpetrator, or choose "Not present".
Your Results
Watch the video again to check your memory of the perpetrator.
How readers of this textbook performed
- Did the format (sequential vs. simultaneous) change how confident you felt about your choice?
- In the sequential lineup, did you feel pressure to pick someone before reaching the end?
- In the simultaneous lineup, did you find yourself comparing faces to each other, rather than comparing each face to your memory?
- Research shows witnesses making sequential identifications are less likely to choose at all, reducing both correct identifications and false identifications compared with simultaneous lineups.