Abstract
We investigated how well adults could recognize the faces of children when they differed in appearance from photographs shown
in an alert. College students in three studies saw a mock AMBER Alert while watching a television show. The children appeared
either well-groomed with positive affect (as in a school photograph) or disheveled with poor affect (as abducted children
might appear). Recognition accuracy and confidence were significantly lower when the faces differed in appearance from the
alert displayed during the television show. Thus, AMBER Alerts may be more effective if they are accompanied by more than
one type of photograph of a missing child, particularly if a photograph is shown in which the child does not appear well-groomed
and happy.
in an alert. College students in three studies saw a mock AMBER Alert while watching a television show. The children appeared
either well-groomed with positive affect (as in a school photograph) or disheveled with poor affect (as abducted children
might appear). Recognition accuracy and confidence were significantly lower when the faces differed in appearance from the
alert displayed during the television show. Thus, AMBER Alerts may be more effective if they are accompanied by more than
one type of photograph of a missing child, particularly if a photograph is shown in which the child does not appear well-groomed
and happy.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-15
- DOI 10.1007/s11896-011-9085-z
- Authors
- Vicki Silvers Gier, Mississippi State University, 1000 Hwy 19 North, Meridian, MS 39305, USA
- David S. Kreiner, University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO USA
- William Jason Hudnell, Mississippi State University, 1000 Hwy 19 North, Meridian, MS 39305, USA
- Journal Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology
- Online ISSN 1936-6469
- Print ISSN 0882-0783