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Abstract
The effect of variation in the
clarity of a witnessed event on the accuracy of eyewitness identification
for adults with intellectual disabilities and those without disabilities
was examined. Following observation of one of three films (clear,
less distinct, or ambiguous) depicting a nonviolent theft, participants
were asked to identify the thief from a photo lineup. Across
all film conditions, participants with intellectual disabilities
made as many correct identifications as did participants without
disabilities, but they also made more false identifications and
were more prone to guessing. Differences between groups seemed
to be attributable to the demand factors inherent in the eyewitness
identification task and understanding of the nature of the task
itself.