Abstract An important task in criminal justice is to evaluate the accuracy of eyewitness testimony. In this study, we examined if machine learning could be used to detect accuracy. Specifically, we examined if support vector machines (SVMs) could accurately classify testimony statements as correct or incorrect based purely on the nonverbal aspects of the voice. We analyzed 3,337 statements (76.61% accurate) from 51 eyewitness testimonies along 94 acoustic variables. We also examined the relative importance of each of the acoustic variables, using Lasso regression. Results showed that the machine learning algorithms were able to predict accuracy between 20 and 40% above chance level (AUC = 0.50). The most important predictors included acoustic variables related to the amplitude (loudness) of speech and the duration of pauses, with higher amplitude predicting correct recall and longer pauses predicting incorrect recall. Taken together, we find that machine learning methods are capable of predicting whether eyewitness testimonies are correct or incorrect with above-chance accuracy and comparable to human performance, but without detrimental human biases. This offers a proof-of-concept for machine learning in evaluations of eyewitness accuracy, and opens up new avenues of research that we hope might improve social justice.

Philip U. Gustafsson

Tim Lachmann

Petri Laukka

Journal of Nonverbal Behavior

JOURNAL OF NONVERBAL BEHAVIOR 对非语言行为的所有主要领域进行了同行评审的原创理论和实证研究。具体主题包括副语言、近义词、面部表情、眼神交流、面对面互动和非语言情感表达，以及有助于科学理解非语言过程和行为的其他主题。

The Journal of Nonverbal Behavior is a peer-reviewed journal that focuses on all major areas of nonverbal behavior, publishing original theoretical and empirical research. Specific topics include paralinguistics, synonyms, facial expressions, eye contact, face-to-face interactions, and nonverbal emotional expression, as well as other themes that contribute to the scientific understanding of nonverbal processes and behaviors.

《Journal of Nonverbal Behavior》是一本经过同行评审的期刊，专注于非语言行为的各个主要领域，发表原创的理论和实证研究。具体主题包括副语言、同义词、面部表情、眼神交流、面对面互动以及非语言情感表达等。此外，期刊还涵盖其他有助于科学理解非语言过程和行为的相关主题。

Category	Quartile
心理学	3
心理学, 心理学社会	4

Machine Learning Predicts Accuracy in Eyewitnesses’ Voices

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Journal Info

Category	Quartile
PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIAL	4