Wpływ rysopisu sprawcy przestępstwa na jego identyfikację przez naocznych świadków i organy śledcze

2 wersje językowe: angielska (s. 326-331), polska (s. 332-335). Bibliogr s. 330-331

In two experiments, we analysed how different forms of verbalisation of the appearance of a perpetrator influenced future recognition of that perpetrator by witnesses and persons who had only been provided with a description of his appearance. During the first experiment, 75 participants watched a film showing a robbery, and then, depending on the group: 1) did not describe the perpetrator’s appearance, 2) provided a description, 3) described the perpetrator’s appearance, filling out a Face Rating Scale (FRS) which requires assessment of multiple characteristics of a face on rating scales. After two weeks, persons were supposed to recognise (identify) the perpetrator from among presented pictures. In the second experiment, participants (N = 50) received either a perpetrator’s description or a filled-in FRS scale and were also supposed to recognise the perpetrator from among presented pictures. Amongst persons who had seen the perpetrator, provision of a description did not reduce the number of correct identifications, but inclined persons to refrain more often from indicating someone. Among persons who had not seen the perpetrator, the FRS scale did not improve level of recognition when compared to a supplied description: in fact, unexpectedly, the opposite tendency was observed.