Statistical feature training improves fingerprint-matching accuracy in novices and professional fingerprint examiners

Type of content
Journal Article
Thesis discipline
Degree name
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Language
en
Date
2022
Authors
Towler A
Dunn JD
Salerno JM
Schweitzer NJ
Dror IE
Growns, Bethany
Abstract

jats:titleAbstract</jats:title>jats:pForensic science practitioners compare visual evidence samples (e.g. fingerprints) and decide if they originate from the same person or different people (i.e. fingerprint ‘matching’). These tasks are perceptually and cognitively complex—even practising professionals can make errors—and what limited research exists suggests that existing professional training is ineffective. This paper presents three experiments that demonstrate the benefit of perceptual training derived from mathematical theories that suggest statistically rare features have diagnostic utility in visual comparison tasks. Across three studies (jats:italicN</jats:italic> = 551), we demonstrate that a brief module training participants to focus on statistically rare fingerprint features improves fingerprint-matching performance in both novices and experienced fingerprint examiners. These results have applied importance for improving the professional performance of practising fingerprint examiners, and even other domains where this technique may also be helpful (e.g. radiology or banknote security).</jats:p>

Description
Citation
Growns B, Towler A, Dunn JD, Salerno JM, Schweitzer NJ, Dror IE (2022). Statistical feature training improves fingerprint-matching accuracy in novices and professional fingerprint examiners. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications. 7(1).
Keywords
Training, Forensic science, Perceptual expertise, Face matching, Fingerprint matching, Expertise
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
1701 Psychology
1702 Cognitive Sciences
Fields of Research::52 - Psychology::5204 - Cognitive and computational psychology::520406 - Sensory processes, perception and performance
Fields of Research::39 - Education::3903 - Education systems::390305 - Professional education and training
Fields of Research::39 - Education::3901 - Curriculum and pedagogy::390102 - Curriculum and pedagogy theory and development
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