An examination of the impact of corroborator age on alibi assessment

Abstract

The purpose of the current research was to assess the impact of the age of an alibi corroborator on the perceptions and decision-making of alibi assessors. Across two studies, adult participants were asked to assume the role of a police detective and to assess the alibi of an armed robbery suspect. The alibi contained a single individual that was willing to verify the suspect’s account (i.e., an alibi corroborator). In Study 1, I examined the impact of the alibi corroborator’s age (i.e., 8-year-old vs. 25-year-old) and relationship with the suspect (i.e., stranger vs. neighbour vs. son) on ratings of five dependent measures related to corroborator credibility and suspect guilt. In Study 2, I examined the impact of the alibi corroborator’s age (i.e., 4-year-old vs. 8-year-old vs. 25-year-old) and the level of cognition needed to remember the alibi event (i.e., delayed vs. recent event) on the same five dependent measures. Consistent with a two-factor model of witness credibility, results indicated that participants viewed an 8-year-old corroborator more favourably than a 4- or 25-year-old corroborator. Participants also demonstrated increased skepticism when the corroborator was interviewed after a longer delay as well as when the corroborator was related to the suspect. The current results help to shed light on an existing inconsistency in the alibi literature regarding the impact of corroborator age on alibi assessment outcomes.