A show-up is an identification procedure that only presents the witness with one suspect in contrast to a lineup where the suspect is presented among a number of fillers (i.e., known innocent people). This feature makes the show-up procedure very suggestive. In this literature review, an overview of the current research about this identification procedure is presented. The different factors that influence the accuracy in show-up procedures are separated into system (e.g., clothing bias, instruction bias, and the impact of multiple show-ups) and estimator variables (e.g., age, cross-race effects, and alcohol) in line with Wells [1]. The implications of the research are discussed together with suggestions for future research.
References
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Dysart, J.E. and Lindsay, R.C.L. (2007a) Show-Up Identifications: Suggestive Technique or Reliable Method? In: Lindsay, R.C.L., Ross, D.F., Read, J.D. and Toglia, M.P., Eds., The Handbook of Eyewitness Psychology, Volume 2: Memory for People. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, 137-153.
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Smith, A.M., Bertrand, M., Lindsay, R.C.L., Kalmet, N., Grossman, D. and Provenzano, D. (2014) The Impact of Multiple Show-Ups on Eyewitness Decision-Making and Innocence Risk. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 20, 247-259. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/xap0000018
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