The research concerning the effect of cognitive bias in forensic science
decision-making has been well documented. Numerous studies across legal and
forensic investigations have shown a number of distinct ways that expectations,
motivations, and beliefs can influence memory, as well as the selection and evaluation
of evidence. In human identifications, studies have shown how contextual information
can affect the interpretation of skeletal remains when establishing a biological profile.
Although the concept of cognitive bias is now well established, there is arguably still a
lack of empirical research looking at possible mitigation strategies across different
fields of forensic science, including the human identification field. This chapter
discusses some of the empirical research conducted on cognitive bias and forensic
decision making, with a focus on human identification. Mitigation strategies and
proposed solutions are explored and discussed, along with future avenues.
Keywords: Cognitive bias, Forensic science, Forensic anthropology, Human identification.
