Attempts to improve children's identifications from sequential-presentation lineups

The effectiveness of practice and stringent lineup instructions in improvin g children's identifications from sequential-presentation lineups was inves tigated. Elementary school children (N = 144) viewed a slide sequence of a crime followed by practice or control procedures. In the practice condition s, children either practiced themselves (self) or watched a videotape of a child practicing (modeled). Practice consisted of 2 target-absent lineups ( unmixed) or a target-absent lineup and a target-present lineup (mixed) of f emale photos unrelated to the crime. The control conditions did not engage in identification practice, All witnesses were given stringent instructions for identifying the criminal from target-present or target-absent sequenti al-presentation lineups, Multiple responding was dramatically reduced. Prac tice affected gender differentially. Female children increased in correct i dentifications, whereas male children increased in false rejections. None o f the practice procedures reduced foil identifications from target-absent l ineups.