How Witnesses Get It Wrong #shorts

Police lineups are notoriously difficult to get right, and a huge part of that is your brain's fault. When you're presented with a lineup that shows someone similar, but not the same, as the suspect, your brain tends to fill in the gaps. It basically selects the next best option to the truth, but it feels to you like it *is* the truth. And by the time that similar choice comes up again, you've conditioned yourself to believe that this replacement is the real suspect.

Witnesses often make accurate identifications, but it's not hard to see how they can very easily get it exactly wrong.

#education #vsauce #truecrime

[moto]

I knew there wasn't one in the second one. And then because you said, you got it right I second guessed myself. Also shows the influence authority can have on the decisions as well.

[smegmalasagna]

Hell yeah I got all three of them right.

[trinityy-]

“study in detail”
- gives literally half a second

[xCyronic]

"look alike" meanwhile it's literally the same person slightly photoshopped

[ruslanetss]

"Oh, mister Goodman, really?!" - the judge, probably

[wttu]

So basically the victim just _chooses_ who goes to prison. How nice.

[NotCOPPAFTCA]

Goddamn alternates ruining my test. Go back to my walls.

[sadChris]

Me in the second round as someone who cant remember faces at all:
No one? Both? Idk?? HELP!

[CaptainIcebeard]

I didn't confuse the one in the second round for the one in the third one at all.

I recognized neither. But I do see how this would work in witness testimony, where they're not presented with the faces right before they are tested on their memory and facial recognition.

[NorroTaku]

I was like "huh? neither lol"

[mrdrprof]

So I actuality got it right, but I was totally questioning myself and definitely could have been pressured into making the wrong choice.

[Erinyes]

Eyy i thought neither in the second test. No innocent man went to prison!

[iakovzhitomirskiy]

I guess lookalike recognition is still important for witnesses. Like if the suspect shaved their beard or wears a different make up on that day, you still want to recognize them

[stevek]

That moment when you are confused when you said neither for the second round

[ajf]

From everythiong i've learned in psychology, we should basically throw eyewitness testimony out. It's so unreliable and is why many innocent people go to jail.

[Gingbro]

I feel so smart for getting all 3 right

[justyourfriendlyneighborho]

In Round 2 I was like "Hmm these don't look right but the first one if I had to pick" so this is definitely a problem

[n]

usually there aren't 2 or more people who look so alike in close proximity

[agquad]

I wasn't smart enough and sent an innocent man to jail lmao

[LeoMRogers]

I got all three right, but the fact that in the second round he said 'Do you recognise either of these faces?' rather than 'which of these faces do you recognise?' (as in round 1 and 3) tipped me off I might not actually recognise either of the faces in round 2.