When Witnesses Choose a Suspect from a Lineup, They Sometimes

question 18

Multiple Choice

When witnesses choose a suspect from a lineup, they sometimes identify the wrong person. To minimize such errors, psychologists recommend the following change in procedure:

• A) Present the suspects sequentially (one at a time).
• B) Tell the witness which suspect the police think is probably guilty.
• C) Provide more encouragement.
• D) Have several witnesses discuss the choice among themselves.

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Definitions:

Validity

The extent to which a method or procedure measures what it is supposed to measure.

Psychometric View

An approach in psychology that focuses on the measurement of mental functions, intelligence, abilities, and attitudes through the use of tests and questionnaires.

Intelligence

The capacity for learning, understanding, and applying knowledge and skills, and the ability to adapt to new situations.

Predictive Validity

The degree to which a score obtained from a test or scale forecasts an individual’s future achievements on a similar activity.