Contextual information in medicolegal death investigation decision-making: Manner of death determination for cases of a single gunshot wound

Abstract

To explore the role of contextual information in determining manner of death, four cases involving single gunshot wounds were presented to participants (n = 252) involved in medicolegal death investigation. The participants received identical autopsy information but different contextual information. The data demonstrated that participants tended to rely on contextual information more than autopsy information: In the suicide context, participants across the four cases reached 153 final decisions of suicide (and 25 of homicide), whereas in the homicide context, participants reached only 10 final decisions of suicide (and 181 of homicide) --all while examining identical autopsy information. The impact of the contextual information was so powerful that many participants changed initial autopsy-based conclusions to align with the contextual information. Given the significant role and impact that contextual information has on expert decision making, one must consider what, how, and when contextual information should be used.

Keywords

• Forensic pathology
• Manner of death
• Cognitive bias
• Contextual information
• Forensic science