Age and Lineup Type Differences in the Own-Race Bias

Authors

Lindsey E. Wylie, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Shaina Bergt, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Joshua Haby, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Eve M. Brank, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Brian H. Bornstein, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

2015

Citation

Psychology, Crime & Law 21:5 (2015), pp. 490–506.

doi: 10.1080/1068316X.2014.989173

Comments

Copyright © 2014 Taylor & Francis. Used by permission.

Abstract

The own-race bias (ORB) suggests that recognition for faces of one’s own race is superior to recognition of other-race faces. A popular explanation for the ORB is amount of interracial contact, which may have cohort effects for older and younger adults. We compared White younger and older adults on the ORB utilizing a hybrid facial recognition and full diagnostic lineup (i.e., simultaneous and sequential target absent and target present lineups) paradigm. Both younger and older adults demonstrated an ORB. Signal detection estimates suggest younger adults compared to older adults have better discrimination accuracy for own-race over other-race faces. Interracial contact did not explain recognition for younger adults but was related to a shift in response criterion for older adults.