Cognitive bias and contextual information management: Considerations for forensic handwriting examinations

As for other largely subjective perceptual and cognitive processes, the forensic analysis and interpretation of handwriting is potentially susceptible to bias. Cognitive bias may subconsciously influence the outcome of specific tasks at any point in an examination, during pre‐analysis, analysis, comparison, interpretation and/or reporting of results. One class of cognitive bias, contextual bias, may arise from information provided by the client, results reported from other forensic disciplines within a laboratory or the content of the questioned and/or known material itself. The base rate information (i.e., examiner knowledge, experience, and innate beliefs) associated with the type and range of examinations an examiner has previously encountered may also lead to bias. Bias introduced at any stage of the examination process, and even prior to the examination (e.g., when deciding what is collected for examination) may affect the examination outcome.This Overview focuses on contextual information management (CIM) protocols that are used to remove potentially biasing task‐irrelevant case information from the view of the reporting forensic handwriting examiner (FHE). Where laboratory resources and logistics allow for these procedures to be in place, they should be applied as part of the pre‐analysis stage of the examination process that is, at a stage in the examination prior to the reporting FHE accessing the examination material or associated documentation. Also highlighted are some additional procedures that have been proposed by others to minimize the opportunity for cognitive bias to arise in handwriting examinations.This article is categorized under: Jurisprudence and Regulatory Oversight > Expert Evidence and Narrative