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Purpose: Descriptions of perpetrators are routinely provided by witnesses during criminal interrogations. Psychological research suggests that recalling a suspect’s appearance negatively influences the ability to subsequently recognize the described face – a phenomenon referred to as verbal overshadowing effect (VOE). VOE has been confirmed in previous research, but its duration remains unclear. Design/Methods/Approach: Participants watched a film depicting a robbery and then, depending on the group: 1) did not describe a perpetrator’s appearance or 2) provided a description. Two weeks time interval between providing perpetrator’s description and recognition attempt from among 6 photographs, was introduced. In half of the lineups each group were perpetrator-present, half – perpetrator-absent. Findings: In forensically relevant conditions, verbal overshadowing seems no longer a threat to lineup performance, at least when manifested by an increase in misidentifications rates. Nevertheless, some research suggests that providing description after two weeks results in enhanced reluctance to identify anyone in the lineup. Research Implications: As facial composite construction involves recalling perpetrator’s appearance, future research should concentrate on its influence on a subsequent lineup performance. Practical Implications: Findings suggesting that verbalizing perpetrator’s face lead to an assumption that his absence in the lineup may have a positive aspect, i.e. protecting innocent persons from being identified as suspects. Originality/Value: This research demonstrates that only the knowledge of long-term effects of verbalization, allows the assessment of the risk that VOE carries for investigative practice. Namen prispevka: Med zaslišanjem ali informativnim razgovorom priče pogosto podajajo opise storilcev. Psihološke raziskave razkrivajo, da priklic podobe storilca negativno vpliva na sposobnost kasnejše prepoznave sicer že opisane podobe storilca. Gre za t. i. učinek besednega zasenčenja (ang. verbal overshadowing effect – VOE). Psihološke raziskave so potrdile pojav omenjenega fenomena, ni pa znano, koliko časa učinek traja. Metode: Prispevek temelji na pregledu literature in empirični raziskavi. Udeleženci raziskave so si ogledali posnetek, kjer je bil prikazan rop. Razdeljeni so bili v dve skupini, pri čemer se je od ene skupine zahtevalo, da opiše videz storilca, druga pa te zahteve ni bila deležna. Po dvotedenskem intervalu (od zahteve po opisu storilca) so od udeležencev raziskave zahtevali prepoznavo storilca izmed 6 fotografij. Pri vsaki skupini so v polovici skupine za prepoznavo bili prisotni storilci in v polovici skupine le teh ni bilo. Ugotovitve: V forenzično relevantnih pogojih se učinek besednega zasenčenja ne kaže kot nevarnost pri prepoznavi, vsaj ne kot povečana stopnja napačne prepoznave. Kljub temu, pa po opisu nekaterih raziskav, se po preteku dveh tednov poveča zadržanost (odpor) do identifikacije (torej pokazati) osebo v skupini za prepoznavo. Omejitve/uporabnost raziskave: Ker konstruiranje obrazne strukture storilca zahteva priklic storilčeve podobe, bi morale bodoče raziskave raziskati, kako to posledično vpliva na prepoznavo. Praktična uporabnost: Ugotovitve kažejo, da verbalni opis storilčevega obraza vodi do sklepanja, da oseba ni prisotna v skupini za prepoznavo, kar ima pozitiven učinek – prepreči, da bi bila kot storilec prepoznana napačna oseba. Izvirnost/pomembnost prispevka: Predstavljena raziskava je pokazala, da samo znanje o dolgoročnih učinkih verbalnih opisov omogoča oceno tveganja, ki ga ima VOE na preiskovalni proces. |
