Not All Videos are Created Equal: Camera Perspective Bias and Video-recorded Eyewitness Identification Procedures

Author

Kelsey N. Doherty, CUNY John Jay CollegeFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-27-2020

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department/Program

Forensic Psychology

Language

English

First Advisor or Mentor

Margaret Kovera

Second Reader

Steven Penrod

Third Advisor

Saul Kassin

Abstract

Video-recorded eyewitness identification procedures can preserve an accurate record of the conditions under which the eyewitness made an identification. Scholars posit that having the record will allow legal actors to make better decisions on the basis of an identification. Yet limited research has examined how jurors’ judgments are influenced by this evidence. Research on other types of video-recorded evidence has demonstrated a strong camera perspective bias, wherein jurors’ judgments are influenced by the angle with which the evidence is recorded. This study examined whether the camera perspective bias similarly influences jurors’ perceptions of video-recorded identification procedures. Participants viewed a mock trial that varied whether the eyewitness was visible during the identification (visible, not visible), whether the administrator was visible during the identification (visible, not visible), whether the administrator knew the identity of the suspect (single-, double-blind), and how certain the eyewitness was in her identification (uncertain, certain). We expected that participants would rate the person on whom the video-record focused as more responsible for the identification, which would influence their ultimate verdict decisions. Our results did not support camera perspective bias in this context, indicating that the camera angle that video-recorded eyewitness identification procedures are recorded from may not influence jurors’ decision making. However, jurors who saw a video-recording of the eyewitness identification procedure were more sensitive to the suggestive nature of single-blind administrations, providing support for the recommendation to video record eyewitness identification procedures.

Recommended Citation

Doherty, Kelsey N., "Not All Videos are Created Equal: Camera Perspective Bias and Video-recorded Eyewitness Identification Procedures" (2020). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/jj_etds/182