Table 3.

The percentage of correct answers per type of participant.

Questions and statements	Mean for all reports	Experience and background
		Student			Professional
		Total student	Legal	Crime Investigation	Total prof.	Legal	Crime Investigation
1. Does the finger mark belong to the suspect? (maybe)	57	58	55	60	57*	65	49
2. Do you think it is impossible for the finger mark to be from someone other than the suspect? (no)	73	71	68	73	74*	86	62
3. It has been proven that the defendant is guilty. (no)	89	88	85	91	89	91	87
4. It has been proven that the suspect was at the scene where the finger mark was found. (no)	63†	58*	49	65	65*	75	56
5. It is ruled out that the finger mark belongs to someone other than the suspect. (no)	84	85	87	84	84*	93	75
Questions about uncertainty	73a	72	69	74	74b	82	66
6. The outcome of this examination is evidence against the suspect. (yes)	70†**	72	69	74	70	72	67
7. The result of this examination is incriminating for the suspect. (yes)	72	74	76	73	72	69	75
8. The conclusion better fits the scenario that the finger mark belongs to the suspect than the scenario that it belongs to someone else. (yes)	80**	80	83	78	80	79	80
Questions about strength of evidence	74c	75	76	75	74	73	74
9. There is more than a 50% chance the finger mark belongs to the suspect. (no)	27	29	26	31	26*	30	22

Note: ^a Significant effect of evidential strength on mean correct answers (F(1,995) = 114.970, p < .001). ^b Significant effect of participant background (legal or crime investigation) on mean correct answers (t(740) = 7.82, p = .001). ^c Significant effect of evidential strength on mean correct answers (F(1,1014) = 141.919, p < .001). ^† Significant effect of ‘experience’ (student or professional) at p < .05 level. *Significant effect of legal background for students or professionals at p < .001 level. **For the total group of participants, the significant effect of being a legal or crime investigation participant on the percentage of correct answers per question at p < .001 level.