A facial recognition study explored the utility of a relatively new image generation technique – the Field Identification System (FIS). Subjects saw an FIS composite and then attempted to select the target face in a series of photographs. The effect of composite similarity (goodness-of-fit of the image with the target person) was significant, with high similarity composites leading to better recognition (30 percent hit rates). Performance with low similarity composites was no better than chance. False alarms were 20 percent overall, with no difference between conditions. The results have implications for criminal identification procedures.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
EllisH. D.DaviesG. M.ShepherdJ. W. A.A critical examination of the Photofit system for recalling faces. Ergonomics, 1978, 21, 297–307.
2.
EllisH. D.ShepherdJ. W. A.DaviesG. M.An investigation of the use of the Photofit system for recalling faces. British Journal of Psychology, 1975, 66, 29–37.
3.
EllisH. D.DaviesG. M. S.ShepherdJ. W. A.An investigation of the Photofit system for recalling faces. Aberdeen, Scotland: University of Aberdeen, Department of Psychology, 1976.
4.
LaugheryK. R.FowlerR. H.Sketch artist and Identi-kit procedures for recalling faces. Journal of Applied Psychology, 1980, 65, 307–316.
5.
LaugheryK. R.SmithV. L.Suspect identification following exposure to sketches and Identi-kit composites. Proceedings of the Human Factors Society, 1978, 631–635.
6.
ThompsonB. S. G.The effects of visual/verbal components of composite production on facial identification. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Houston, 1979.
