A Meta-Analytic Review of the Intersection of Lineup Type and the Cross-Race Effect
Capodanno, Megan
Citations
Abstract
Eyewitnesses to a crime face a myriad of challenges when identifying a perpetrator from a lineup. Research has shown that both estimator variables (i.e. those variables that the legal system does not control) and system variables (i.e., factors within the control of the lineup administrator that can also have a direct influence on the accuracy of the identification) can influence those eyewitness decisions (Wells, Memon, & Penrod, 2006). The current research focuses on both estimator and system influences: lineup type (e.g., the presentation style of the lineup) and the cross-race effect (e.g., the phenomenon by which identification accuracy is improved when the race of the eyewitness is congruent with that of the perpetrator). Several meta-analyses have been conducted on these topics separately (see Steblay et al. 2001, 2003, & 2011 for lineups and Anthony et al., 1992; Bothwell et al., 1989; Meissner & Brigham, 2001; & Lee & Penrod 2022 for cross-race effects), but none have examined if the cross-race effect varies by lineup type. The results of the current analysis indicate that the cross-race effect is present in all of the most commonly used lineup types.
