Elevated stress impairs the accuracy of eyewitness memory but not the confidence–accuracy relationship.

Abstract

Although numerous studies have identified factors that affect eyewitness identification accuracy, recent studies report that many of these factors do not affect the accuracy of high-confidence identifications. This is critical because legal cases are more likely to be prosecuted if they involve high-confidence eyewitnesses. Using a confidence–accuracy characteristic (CAC) analysis, we explored whether stress affects the accuracy of high-confidence identifications. In two experiments, people viewed faces followed by an old/new recognition-memory test and provided confidence ratings. Stress was manipulated by pairing a low- or high-valence image with each studied face. Identification accuracy was higher in the low- than high-stress condition, yet the proportion correct for high-confidence positive identifications was similar in the two stress conditions. Elevated stress impairs eyewitness identification accuracy overall. However, the results of this study suggest that confidence is a better predictor of recognition-memory accuracy than is stress even though confidence alone is still an imperfect predictor. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) Public Significance Statement—The results of this study suggest that although elevated stress impairs eyewitness identification accuracy overall, eyewitnesses may be equally likely to be correct in their high-confidence identifications regardless of their stress level at the time of the event. Stressed eyewitnesses do not make good eyewitnesses, but they are generally aware of this and adjust their confidence ratings accordingly. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)