In the second episode of Eyewitness our ten contributors attempted to identify the masked gunman and get-away driver in a VIPER identification parade – but most were unable to make an identification and several identified the wrong person!
Why was this? One of the key problems is that the faces of the criminals were unfamiliar to the witnesses. We are extremely good at recognising familiar faces – obviously the witnesses would have had no problems in identifying the criminals if they were good friends – but can be extremely bad at recognising unfamiliar faces.
We can recognise someone we know well despite significant changes to their appearance and even if we haven’t seen them in a long time. In fact, we can sometimes recognise a familiar face even if it has been constructed using the features from an unfamiliar face.
Indeed, piecing together a face from the features of different strangers is just how the E-FIT facial composite system works (this is the system demonstrated in the second episode). The images below are all E-FITs of famous people – have a look and see if you can identify which celebrity is being portrayed.
Used with permission
Used with permission
Used with permission
Used with permission
Used with permission
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Used with permission
How many did you get? From the top, you have been watching Paul McCartney, Sean Connery, Harrison Ford, Gary Lineker, John Cleese and Prince Charles.
Find out more
Misidentification: can you identify the criminal?
The Open University
Professor Graham Pike from the Open University guides us through the eyewitness experience by viewing a crime and identity parade. Read more : Misidentification: can you identify the criminal?
Visual identification: Photo credit card study
Katarzyna Zwolska via Dreamstime.com under Limited Royalty Free Licenses (RF-LL)
Dr Nicola Brace, Senior Lecturer in Psychology talks us through the challenges eyewitnesses’ face when remembering unfamiliar people. Read more : Visual identification: Photo credit card study
Really keen? Consider The Open University's Discovering Psychology course.
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Comments on: "Identifying faces"
rachmd has started a thread discussing Identifying faces.
Got 5/6. Didn't get Harrison Ford but that's because the e-fit is rubbish. Thought it was maybe a poor Gordon Ramsey lol
I thought Harrison Ford was Mel Gibson as well! Interesting, wouldn't have thought those two were that similar... is that down to the person who made the efit, or down to some other factor we both share?
I also thought the last photo was Charlie's dad, not Charlie himself, but that one's more understandable as they share genes.
Didn't get John Cleese at all though!
i only got 3 right but a woz thinking sean connery 4 the 2nd one but dint actually say it woz.. i also think that the harrison ford one looks more like mel gibson which is who i thort it woz..
I got 3/6 of the efits right. Quite shocking really.