Bruce and colleagues (1999) used CCTV videos and asked participants to match a still-frame of a person in the video with high-quality photos, when the participants could do so. Participants were able to match the CCTV still-frame images with the photos 65% of the time. The MOST appropriate interpretation of this finding is that it:
A) provides clear evidence that these participants' eyewitness identification was accurate.
B) provides clear evidence that these participants' eyewitness identification was inaccurate.
C) supports the claim that eyewitness identification is often inaccurate.
D) supports the claim that eyewitness testimony is often inaccurate.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The finding that participants were only able to match CCTV still-frame images with photos 65% of the time suggests that eyewitness identification may be inaccurate more often than previously thought. This supports the claim that eyewitness identification is often inaccurate. However, it does not provide clear evidence that any individual eyewitness identification in this study was inaccurate, as the accuracy rate was still relatively high.

Bruce and Colleagues (1999) Used CCTV Videos and Asked Participants