This junior high school science project was done by Miss Shanin Paige Leeming of Merritt Island, FL

Picture ID: Help or Hinderance? Do People Really Look at the Picture on a Picture ID? Brevard Intracoastal Regional Science and Engineering Fair Category: Behavioral and Social Science

My mom and I have often talked about the need to show an identification card at the airport and other locations. We discussed that no one seems to really look at the picture on the identification card that is presented. I wondered if that might just be an inaccurate observation on my part, or is it possible that people only pretend to be checking and verifying the identity of the person actually presenting the card for various reasons.

If people are not really checking the picture against the appearance of the person standing in front of them, then is it possible that we are putting too much faith in this whole system?

My project, then, is designed to test the validity of this picture identification system. I decided to set up ten test situations and dress my mother in ten ways which would alter her appearance. I chose to alter her appearance in varying ways, starting with gradual alterations. As my project progressed, I quickly realized that it did not matter how outrageous my alterations got. Because no one took any notice of her appearance at all. In fact, we were able to accomplish a number of varying tasks (including check cashing and legal document signing), with her being dressed in a clown suit and a man's attire.

Consequently, I strongly recommend that people should not put too much faith (if any at all) in the current system of picture identification. Recommendcations are made to consider other forms of identification with more complex safeguards if we are to protect ourselves from fraud.

(ed. note: The attached JPEG file shows Mom with notarization received in disguise, Mom with wine purchased while in clown suit, Mom having cashed check as man, Mom having used credit card while in wig and mortician's makeup)