Forensic age progression and the search for missing children

One approach that has been used to help recover missing children is forensic age progression. In forensic age progression, outdated photographs of missing children are digitally aged to provide an estimate of the current appearance of the child. In two experiments participants studied pictures of children at age seven (outdated), pictures of children at age 12 (current), or pictures that were age progressed to age 12 (age progressed). They were then tested with pictures of the children at age 12. Memory for current pictures was superior to both outdated pictures and age progressed pictures. Memory for outdated pictures and age progressed pictures did not significantly differ. The results failed to demonstrate an advantage for age progressed pictures.