Eyewitness Identification Accuracy: A Comparison of Adults With and Those Without Intellectual Disabilities

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.