Constructing identifiable composite faces: The importance of cognitive alignment of interview and construction procedure.

We investigated the impact of congruency between the witness interview and method used to construct a composite face. Experiment 1, using a typical feature-by-feature composite method, revealed that aligning cognitive processes during interview and face construction enhanced the effectiveness of composites compared with composites produced following unaligned (incongruent) procedures. Experiment 2 revealed that incorporating character judgements in the witness interview substantially enhanced identification of feature-based composites when constructing the central (internal) features first, suggesting that such judgements focus attention on this region of the face. Experiment 3 explored alignment of processes using an approach based on an evolutionary algorithm, a method requiring witnesses to create a composite by selecting from arrays based on the eye-region. A combination of character judgements, first for the whole face and then for the eye region, led to best-identified composites. Overall, results indicate that more effective composites are produced when both interview and construction procedures are aligned cognitively. Results are discussed with relevance to the theory of transfer-appropriate processing (Morris, Bransford, & Franks, 1977)

Local variability of the ground shaking during the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake (April 6, 2009—Mw 6.3): the case study of Onna and Monticchio villages

The 2009 Mw 6.3 L’Aquila event caused extensive damage in the city of L’Aquila and in some small towns in its vicinity. The most severe damage was recognized SE of L’Aquila town along the Aterno river valley. Although building vulnerability and near-source effects are strongly responsible for the high level of destruction, site effects have been invoked to explain the damage heterogeneities and the similarities between the 2009 macroseismic field with the intensities of historical earthquakes. The small village of Onna is settled on quaternary alluvium and suffered during the L’Aquila event an extremely heavy damage in the masonry structures with intensity IX–X on the Mercalli-Cancani-Sieberg (MCS) scale. The village of Monticchio, far less than 1.3 km from Onna, is mostly situated on Meso- zoic limestone and suffered a smaller level of damaging (VI MCS). In the present paper, we analyze the aftershock recordings at seismic stations deployed in a small area of the middle-Aterno valley including Onna and Monticchio. The aim is to investigate local ampli-fication effects caused by the near-surface geology. Because the seismological stations are close together, vulnerability and near-source effects are assumed to be constant. The wave- form analysis shows that the ground motion at Onna is systematically characterized by large high-frequency content. The frequency resonance is varying from 2 to 3 Hz and it is related to alluvial sediments with a thickness of about 40 m that overlay a stiffer Pleistocene substrate. The ground motion recordings of Onna are well reproduced by the predictive equation for the Italian territory.Published783-8072T. Sorgente SismicaJCR Journalreserve

The impact of external facial features on the construction of facial composites

Witnesses may construct a composite face of a perpetrator using a computerised interface. Police practitioners guide witnesses through this unusual process, the goal being to produce an identifiable image. However, any changes a perpetrator makes to their external facial-features may interfere with this process. In Experiment 1, participants constructed a composite using a holistic interface one day after target encoding. Target faces were unaltered, or had altered external-features: (i) changed hair, (ii) external-features removed or (iii) naturally-concealed external-features (hair, ears, face-shape occluded by a hooded top). These manipulations produced composites with more error-prone internal-features: participants’ familiar with a target’s unaltered appearance less often provided a correct name. Experiment 2 applied external-feature alterations to composites of unaltered targets; although whole-face composites contained less error-prone internal-features, identification was impaired. Experiment 3 replicated negative effects of changing target hair on construction and tested a practical solution: selectively concealing hair and eyes improved identification

The impact of weapons and unusual objects on the construction of facial composites

The presence of a weapon in the perpetration of a crime can impede an observer’s ability to describe and/or recognise the person responsible. In the current experiment, we explore whether weapons when present at encoding of a target identity interfere with the construction of a facial composite. Participants encoded an unfamiliar target face seen either on its own or paired with a knife. Encoding duration (10 or 30 s) was also manipulated. The following day, participants recalled the face and constructed a composite of it using a holistic system (EvoFIT). Correct naming of the participants’ composites was found to reduce reliably when target faces were paired with the weapon at 10 s but not at 30 s. These data suggest that the presence of a weapon reduces the effectiveness of facial composites following a short encoding duration. Implications for theory and police practice are discussed

The importance of detailed context reinstatement for the production of identifiable composite faces from memory

Memory is facilitated by reflecting upon, or revisiting, the environment in which information was encoded. We investigated these ‘context reinstatement’ (CR) techniques to improve the effectiveness of facial composites—visual likenesses of a perpetrator’s face constructed by eyewitnesses. Participant-constructors viewed a face and, after a one-day-delay, revisited (Physical CR) or recalled the environmental context (Mental/Detailed CR) before recalling the face and constructing an EvoFIT or a PRO-fit composite. Detailed CR increased correct naming of ensuing composites, but only when participant-constructors suitably encoded the environment. Detailed CR was also effective when combined with another interviewing tech-nique (Holistic-Cognitive Interview), with focus on a target’s character; it was no more effec-tive prompting constructors to engage in greater environmental recall. Analyses indicate that the Detailed CR advantage was mediated by an increase in face recall. Results are applicable by forensic practitioners to aid eyewitness memory, thereby potentially increasing suspect identification and subsequent arrest rate

NERA project - Deliverable D11.4: Array measurements

The aim of this Task is to present the seismological data and some preliminary empirical results related to two deployed specific arrays; (a) the Argostoli seismological array and (b) the Fucino seismological array. Both experiment arrays provided high quality data that along with corresponding geological and geophysical measurements may serve to critical evaluation of site effects and basin effects. In addition, work on modelling of basin effects may be significantly benefited by the observed acquired in both sites. Given that the analyses of the data obtained during the aforementioned experimental arrays will be performed in close link with activity of NERA-JRA3, the following goals are set: To investigate the link between ground motion spatial variability, strains, seismic wavefield and subsurface properties To compare numerical estimates of ground strain with actual measurements To investigate the capability of estimating ground strains from noise correlation studies. In order to organize and accomplish the work according to the initial schedule, several meetings (actual or/and Skype) among the participants took place during the 2nd year of the NERA-JRA1 project. Minutes of these meetings are given in Appendices 1, 2, 3 and 4.Network of European Research Infrastructures for Earthquake Risk Assessment and Mitigation Project, Seventh Framework Programme EC project number: 262330Published4T. Sismologia, geofisica e geologia per l'ingegneria sismic

Evaluation of the local site effects in the upper and middle Aterno valley

In the months following the April 6th, 2009, L’Aquila earthquake, several Italian and foreign research institutions installed dozens of seismic stations to monitor more than 100 localities with the aim of studying the local site effects in the epicentral area (upper and middle Aterno valley). The stations (accelerometers and velocimeters) have been deployed inside or very close to the inhabited areas. Among the investigated sites there are Onna, where almost the totality of the buildings collapsed, and the historic centre of L’Aquila, both towns suffering many casualties. The preliminary results for the examined sites show an extreme variability of ground motion and significant amplification for the most damaged localities.In press4.1. Metodologie sismologiche per l'ingegneria sismicaN/A or not JCRope

Evaluation of site effects in the Aterno river valley (Central Italy) from aftershocks of the 2009 L'Aquila earthquake

A temporary network of 33 seismic stations was deployed in the area struck by the 6th April 2009, Mw 6.3, L’Aquila earthquake (central Italy), with the aim to investigate the site amplification within the Aterno river Valley. The seismograms of 18 earthquakes recorded by 14 of the 33 stations were used to evaluate the average horizontal to vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) for each site and the standard horizontal spectral ratio (SSR) between a site and a reference station. The obtained results have been compared to the geological and geophysical information in order to explain the resonance frequencies and the amplification levels with respect to surface geology of the valley. The result indicate that there is no uniform pattern of amplification, due to the complex geologic setting, as the thickness and degree of cementation of the deposits is highly variable. As consequence, a large number of the local site response is observed, therefore it is very difficult to elaborate a unique model that can explain such a variability of the amplification.Published697-7154.1. Metodologie sismologiche per l'ingegneria sismicaJCR Journalpartially_ope

Do intoxicated witnesses produce poor facial composite images?

The effect of alcohol intoxication on witness memory and performance has been the subject of research for some time, however, whether intoxication affects facial composite construction has not been investigated. Intoxication was predicted to adversely affect facial composite construction. Thirty-two participants were allocated to one of four beverage conditions consisting of factorial combinations of alcohol or placebo at face encoding, and later construction. Participants viewed a video of a target person and constructed a composite of this target the following day. The resulting images were presented as a full face composite, or a part face consisting of either internal or external facial features to a second sample of participants who provided likeness ratings as a measure of facial composite quality. Intoxication at face encoding had a detrimental impact on the quality of facial composites produced the following day, suggesting that alcohol impaired the encoding of the target faces. The common finding that external compared to internal features are more accurately represented was demonstrated, even following alcohol at encoding. This finding was moderated by alcohol and target face gender such that alcohol at face encoding resulted in reduced likeness of external features for male composite faces only. Moderate alcohol intoxication impairs the quality of facial composites, adding to existing literature demonstrating little effect of alcohol on line-up studies. The impact of intoxication on face perception mechanisms, and the apparent narrowing of processing to external face areas such as hair, is discussed in the context of alcohol myopia theory

Rapid response to the earthquake emergency of May 2012 in the Po Plain, northern Italy

No abstrac