UTEP Legal Psychology Ph.D. Program

Read about Recent Research conducted by faculty and graduate students in our program, including "in press" articles that describe our latest findings!
(Students and faculty are highlighted in each citation.)

A more complete listing of recent publications is also provided below.

"in press" Manuscripts

Billings, F. J., Taylor, T., Burns, J., Corey, D. L., Garven, S., & Wood, J. M. (in press). Can reinforcement induce children to falsely incriminate themselves? Law & Human Behavior.
This study examined whether reinforcement can induce children to falsely incriminate themselves. Ninety-nine children in kindergarten through third grade were questioned regarding the staged theft of a toy. Half received reinforcement for self-incriminating responses. Within 4 min reinforced children made 52% false admissions of guilty knowledge concerning the theft, and 30% false admissions of having witnessed it. Corresponding figures for controls were 36 and 10%. Twelve percent of children admitted to participating in the theft, but the effect of reinforcement was only marginally significant. The findings indicate that reinforcement can induce children to falsely implicate themselves in wrongdoing.
Kassin, S. M., Leo, R. A., Meissner, C. A., Richman, K. D., Colwell, L. H., Leach, A-M., & LaFon, D. (in press). Police interviewing and interrogation: A self-report survey of police practices and beliefs. Law & Human Behavior.
By questionnaire, 631 police investigators reported on their interrogation beliefs and practices—the first such survey ever conducted. Overall, participants estimated that they were 77% accurate at truth and lie detection, that 81% of suspects waive Miranda rights, that the mean length of interrogation is 1.6 hours, and that they elicit self-incriminating statements from 68% of suspects, 4.78% from innocents. Overall, 81% felt that interrogations should be recorded. As for self-reported usage of various interrogation tactics, the most common were to physically isolate suspects, identify contradictions in suspects' accounts, establish rapport, confront suspects with evidence of their guilt, and appeal to self-interests. Results were discussed for their consistency with prior research, policy implications, and methodological shortcomings.
MacLin, M. K., Zimmerman, L. A., Meissner, C. A., MacLin, O. H., Tredoux, C. G., & Malpass, R. S. (in press). The science of collecting eyewitness evidence: Recommendations and an argument for collaborative efforts between researchers and law enforcement. Police Practice & Research.
Psychological researchers have brought a scientific understanding to the collection of eyewitness evidence, and have proposed a variety of recommendations designed to improve its reliability. However, such procedures can only be implemented through successful collaboration between researchers and law enforcement personnel. Research and development units are rare within North American law enforcement organizations. This article outlines areas of eyewitness memory and identification in which both academic research and law enforcement procedure and training would benefit from collaborative relationships. We outline some of the more central findings of the scientific study of memory applied to eyewitnesses. Both application of this knowledge and sharpening of the questions needing further study would benefit from collaborative activities.
Malpass, R. S. (in press). A policy evaluation of simultaneous and sequential lineups. Psychology, Public Policy & Law.
Eyewitness identification policy is being rewritten in a number of states and communities. Some jurisdictions in which lineup reforms are being implemented exclude simultaneous lineups altogether while others allow them if double-blind administration of sequential lineups is not possible. The Innocence Project advocates the latter and puts forward blind sequential lineup administration as the best form of lineup identification. While sequential lineups are claimed to be superior no explicit policy analysis has been done. The present study employs a policy analysis model based on decision theory to examine the policy utility of simultaneous and sequential lineups, as well as to examine a range of values placed on identification outcomes and their probabilities. Simultaneous lineups are shown to be superior to sequential lineups under most conditions examined in this analysis.

2006 publications

Corenblum, B., & Meissner, C. A. (2006). Recognition of faces of ingroup and outgroup children and adults. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 93, 187-206.

People are often more accurate in recognizing faces of ingroup than outgroup members. While own group biases in face recognition are well established among adults, less attention has been given to such biases among children. This is surprising considering how often children give testimony in criminal and civil cases. In the present studies, EuroCanadian children attending public school and young adults enrolled in university-level classes were asked whether previously presented photographs of EuroAmerican and African American adults (Study 1), or photographs of Native Canadian, EuroCanadian, African American children (Study 2) were new or old. In both studies, own group biases were found on measures of discrimination accuracy and response bias, as well as on estimates of reaction time, confidence and confidence-accuracy relations. Results of both studies were consistent with predictions derived from multidimensional face-space theory of face recognition (Valentine, 1991). Implications of the present studies for the validity of children’s eyewitness testimony are also discussed.

Fabrigar, L. R., Petty, R. E., Smith, S. M., & Crites, S. L. Jr. (2006). Understanding knowledge effects on attitude-behavior consistency: The role of relevance, complexity, and amount of knowledge. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 90, 556-577.

The role of properties of attitude-relevant knowledge in attitude- behavior consistency was explored in 3 experiments. In Experiment 1, attitudes based on behaviorally relevant knowledge predicted behavior better than attitudes based on low-relevance knowledge, especially when people had time to deliberate. Relevance, complexity, and amount of knowledge were investigated in Experiment 2. It was found that complexity increased attitude- behavior consistency when knowledge was of low-behavioral relevance. Under high-behavioral relevance, attitudes predicted behavior well regardless of complexity. Amount of knowledge had no effect on attitude- behavior consistency. In Experiment 3, the findings of Experiment 2 were replicated, and the complexity effect was extended to behaviors of ambiguous relevance. Together, these experiments support an attitude inference perspective, which holds that under high deliberation conditions, people consider the behavioral relevance and dimensional complexity of knowledge underlying their attitudes before deciding to act on them.

McQuiston-Surrett, D., Topp, L. D., & Malpass, R. S. (2006). Use of facial composite systems in U.S. law enforcement agencies. Psychology, Crime, & Law, 12, 505-517.

Facial composite images are often used in the criminal investigation process to facilitate the search for and identification of someone who has committed a crime. Since the use of facial composite images is sometimes relied upon as an integral part of an investigation, it is important to ascertain information about the various decisions made and procedures implemented by law enforcement regarding the use of composites. A 39-item survey was developed to examine the prevalence of a number of procedures related to composite production, including the systems implemented, criteria for selecting systems, law enforcement training, satisfaction with systems, legal challenges, and procedural issues with respect to interviewing multiple witnesses and the distribution of composite images. Surveys were distributed to 1637 city, state and county law enforcement agencies nationwide; 163 completed surveys were returned. This paper summarizes our survey results and discusses the implications for investigative procedures, law enforcement training, and future research needs.

McQuiston-Surrett, D. E., Malpass, R. S., & Tredoux, C.G. (2006). Sequential vs. simultaneous lineups: A review of methods, data, and theory. Psychology, Public Policy & Law. 12, 137-169.

A considerable amount of empirical research has been conducted on ways to improve the eyewitness identification process, with emphasis on the use of lineups. Public policy changes are currently underway with respect to lineup procedures: Sequential lineups are being recommended to police as the best practice. This may be premature because the conditions under which sequential lineups are superior to simultaneous lineups are not well understood given the current literature: Many studies are reported with insufficient detail needed to judge the adequacy of the research design, new data show that the sequential superiority effect may vary as a function of study methodology, theoretical assumptions have not been adequately tested, and important comparisons that may rule out the ostensible superiority of the sequential lineup have not been studied. This review summarizes the literature, presents new data, and identifies the need for further empirical work before appropriately grounded recommendations as to the superiority of sequential lineups can be made.

Schreiber, N., Bellah, L. D., Martinez, Y., McLaurin, K. A., Strok, R., Garven, S., & Wood, J. M. (2006). Suggestive interviewing in the McMartin Preschool and Kelly Michaels daycare abuse cases: A case study. Social Influence, 1, 16-47.

In the 1980s and early 1990s the United States witnessed an outbreak of bizarre “daycare abuse” cases in which groups of young children levelled allegations of sexual and Satanic abuse against their teachers. In the present study, quantitative analyses were performed on a total of 54 interview transcripts from two highly publicised daycare cases (McMartin Preschool and Kelly Michaels) and a comparison group of child sexual abuse cases from a Child Protection Service (CPS). Confirming the impression of prior commentators, systematic analyses showed that interviews from the two daycare cases were highly suggestive. Compared with the CPS interviews, the McMartin and/or Michaels interviewers were significantly more likely to (a) introduce new suggestive information into the interview, (b) provide praise, promises, and positive reinforcement, (c) express disapproval, disbelief, or disagreement with children, (d) exert conformity pressure, and (e) invite children to pretend or speculate about supposed events.

Steblay, N., Hosch, H. M., Culhane, S. E., & McWethy, A. (2006). The impact on juror verdicts of judicial instruction to disregard inadmissible evidence: A meta-analysis. Law & Human Behavior, 30, 469-542.

The effect on juror verdicts of judicial instructions to disregard inadmissible evidence was evaluated using meta-analysis. One hundred seventy five hypothesis tests from 48 studies with a combined 8474 participants were examined. Results revealed that inadmissible evidence (IE) has a reliable effect on verdicts consistent with the content of the IE. Judicial instruction to ignore the inadmissible evidence does not effectively eliminate IE impact. However, if judges provide a rationale for a ruling of inadmissibility, juror compliance may be increased. Contested evidence ruled admissible accentuates that information, resulting in a significant impact on verdicts. Suggestions for how the courts may mitigate the impact of inadmissible evidence more effectively are discussed.

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2006 publications

Corenblum, B., & Meissner, C. A. (2006). Recognition of faces of ingroup and outgroup children and adults. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 93, 187-206.
People are often more accurate in recognizing faces of ingroup than outgroup members. While own group biases in face recognition are well established among adults, less attention has been given to such biases among children. This is surprising considering how often children give testimony in criminal and civil cases. In the present studies, EuroCanadian children attending public school and young adults enrolled in university-level classes were asked whether previously presented photographs of EuroAmerican and African American adults (Study 1), or photographs of Native Canadian, EuroCanadian, African American children (Study 2) were new or old. In both studies, own group biases were found on measures of discrimination accuracy and response bias, as well as on estimates of reaction time, confidence and confidence-accuracy relations. Results of both studies were consistent with predictions derived from multidimensional face-space theory of face recognition (Valentine, 1991). Implications of the present studies for the validity of children’s eyewitness testimony are also discussed.
Fabrigar, L. R., Petty, R. E., Smith, S. M., & Crites, S. L. Jr. (2006). Understanding knowledge effects on attitude-behavior consistency: The role of relevance, complexity, and amount of knowledge. Journal of Personality & Social Psychology, 90, 556-577.
The role of properties of attitude-relevant knowledge in attitude- behavior consistency was explored in 3 experiments. In Experiment 1, attitudes based on behaviorally relevant knowledge predicted behavior better than attitudes based on low-relevance knowledge, especially when people had time to deliberate. Relevance, complexity, and amount of knowledge were investigated in Experiment 2. It was found that complexity increased attitude- behavior consistency when knowledge was of low-behavioral relevance. Under high-behavioral relevance, attitudes predicted behavior well regardless of complexity. Amount of knowledge had no effect on attitude- behavior consistency. In Experiment 3, the findings of Experiment 2 were replicated, and the complexity effect was extended to behaviors of ambiguous relevance. Together, these experiments support an attitude inference perspective, which holds that under high deliberation conditions, people consider the behavioral relevance and dimensional complexity of knowledge underlying their attitudes before deciding to act on them.
McQuiston-Surrett, D., Topp, L. D., & Malpass, R. S. (2006). Use of facial composite systems in U.S. law enforcement agencies. Psychology, Crime, & Law, 12, 505-517.
Facial composite images are often used in the criminal investigation process to facilitate the search for and identification of someone who has committed a crime. Since the use of facial composite images is sometimes relied upon as an integral part of an investigation, it is important to ascertain information about the various decisions made and procedures implemented by law enforcement regarding the use of composites. A 39-item survey was developed to examine the prevalence of a number of procedures related to composite production, including the systems implemented, criteria for selecting systems, law enforcement training, satisfaction with systems, legal challenges, and procedural issues with respect to interviewing multiple witnesses and the distribution of composite images. Surveys were distributed to 1637 city, state and county law enforcement agencies nationwide; 163 completed surveys were returned. This paper summarizes our survey results and discusses the implications for investigative procedures, law enforcement training, and future research needs.
McQuiston-Surrett, D. E., Malpass, R. S., & Tredoux, C.G. (2006). Sequential vs. simultaneous lineups: A review of methods, data, and theory. Psychology, Public Policy & Law. 12, 137-169.
A considerable amount of empirical research has been conducted on ways to improve the eyewitness identification process, with emphasis on the use of lineups. Public policy changes are currently underway with respect to lineup procedures: Sequential lineups are being recommended to police as the best practice. This may be premature because the conditions under which sequential lineups are superior to simultaneous lineups are not well understood given the current literature: Many studies are reported with insufficient detail needed to judge the adequacy of the research design, new data show that the sequential superiority effect may vary as a function of study methodology, theoretical assumptions have not been adequately tested, and important comparisons that may rule out the ostensible superiority of the sequential lineup have not been studied. This review summarizes the literature, presents new data, and identifies the need for further empirical work before appropriately grounded recommendations as to the superiority of sequential lineups can be made.
Schreiber, N., Bellah, L. D., Martinez, Y., McLaurin, K. A., Strok, R., Garven, S., & Wood, J. M. (2006). Suggestive interviewing in the McMartin Preschool and Kelly Michaels daycare abuse cases: A case study. Social Influence, 1, 16-47.
In the 1980s and early 1990s the United States witnessed an outbreak of bizarre “daycare abuse” cases in which groups of young children levelled allegations of sexual and Satanic abuse against their teachers. In the present study, quantitative analyses were performed on a total of 54 interview transcripts from two highly publicised daycare cases (McMartin Preschool and Kelly Michaels) and a comparison group of child sexual abuse cases from a Child Protection Service (CPS). Confirming the impression of prior commentators, systematic analyses showed that interviews from the two daycare cases were highly suggestive. Compared with the CPS interviews, the McMartin and/or Michaels interviewers were significantly more likely to (a) introduce new suggestive information into the interview, (b) provide praise, promises, and positive reinforcement, (c) express disapproval, disbelief, or disagreement with children, (d) exert conformity pressure, and (e) invite children to pretend or speculate about supposed events.
Steblay, N., Hosch, H. M., Culhane, S. E., & McWethy, A. (2006). The impact on juror verdicts of judicial instruction to disregard inadmissible evidence: A meta-analysis. Law & Human Behavior, 30, 469-542.
The effect on juror verdicts of judicial instructions to disregard inadmissible evidence was evaluated using meta-analysis. One hundred seventy five hypothesis tests from 48 studies with a combined 8474 participants were examined. Results revealed that inadmissible evidence (IE) has a reliable effect on verdicts consistent with the content of the IE. Judicial instruction to ignore the inadmissible evidence does not effectively eliminate IE impact. However, if judges provide a rationale for a ruling of inadmissibility, juror compliance may be increased. Contested evidence ruled admissible accentuates that information, resulting in a significant impact on verdicts. Suggestions for how the courts may mitigate the impact of inadmissible evidence more effectively are discussed.