Daniel M. Bernstein

When crime is caught on video, suspects can be identified by matching their faces to the perpetrator in the footage. However, errors in face-matching decisions have led to wrongful arrests. We tested face-matching in a nonprofessional student sample from a Canadian university ( N = 905) with one-to-one comparisons and lineups. On the basis of findings in the eyewitness identification literature, we hypothesized that if face-matching lineups were fair and included known-innocent fillers (i.e., nonsuspects), they would control the error rate on trials with innocent suspects and increase the accuracy of suspect “match” responses. This hypothesis was supported. However, the accuracy of suspect-nonmatch responses was greater for one-to-one comparisons than for lineups. Additionally, we found that applying wisdom-of-crowd approaches to multiple independent decisions could eliminate errors in both match and nonmatch responses. Whether to control face-matching errors with lineups, with the wisdom-of-crowds, or with both depends on practical considerations.

Introduction: Theory of Mind (ToM) is essential for social interactions. However, gaps remain in our knowledge of when ToM abilities develop and change, particularly from adolescence to older adulthood.Methods: We used data from an ongoing longitudinal study to examine ToM abilities across three time points in participants aged 3 years and older. Testing waves occurred over multiple years. Cognitive ToM was assessed using the Sandbox task (N = 187; age range = 3–80 years), and affective ToM was assessed using the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task (RMET; N = 121; age range = 6–80 years). Data were analyzed using mixed-design ANOVAs to examine interactions between Age Group and Time Point.Results: Children aged 6–9 years exhibited significantly lower ToM abilities compared to adults. However, beyond childhood, both cognitive and affective ToM remained relatively stable across the lifespan.Discussion: Our study illuminates critical periods of ToM development. Moreover, our study highlights the importance of using measures that capture subtle changes across the lifespan.

The sunk-cost effect (SCE) refers to the continuation of an activity after investing resources in the activity. Current developmental research on the SCE i

The terminology used in discussions on mental state attribution is extensive and lacks consistency. In the current paper, experts from various disciplines collaborate to introduce a shared set of concepts and make recommendations regarding future use.