8.4 Visualization: Recognizing a Person or Object After It Changes
Key Takeaways
IOS defines visualization as the ability to imagine how something will look when it is moved or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
IOS's NCJOSI² samples ask which headshot belongs to a person shown in profile, after changes such as hair color, facial hair or expression.
Match faces on stable features such as ear shape and position, nose profile, chin and jaw shape and eye spacing.
Ignore easily changed features such as hair color and style, beards, glasses, hats and makeup when they are the only differences.
Officers use visualization to recognize a suspect who has changed appearance, for example by dyeing hair or shaving.
Note
OpenExamPrep provides this independent study guide to help prospective law enforcement candidates prepare for the National Criminal Justice Officer Selection Inventory (NCJOSI). OpenExamPrep is an independent educational publisher and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Industrial/Organizational Solutions (IOS) or any municipal civil service commission.
What IOS Measures
IOS defines visualization as the ability to imagine how something will look when it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged. It requires forming mental images of how patterns, objects or people would look after changes such as unfolding, rotation or physical alterations, and predicting how an object, set of objects, pattern or person will appear after the changes are made.
IOS ties the ability directly to police work: officers use it when they need to find a suspect who may have changed physically, for example by changing hair color or shaving.
The NCJOSI² Item Format
According to the IOS study guide, NCJOSI² visualization items ask you to recognize a face that has gone through some changes, such as different hair color, facial hair or expression. IOS's two samples show a person seen in profile and ask, "Which headshot belongs to this profile?" with four headshot options.
So the task combines two challenges:
- A change of view: the side view must be matched to a front or three-quarter view.
- A change of appearance: hair, facial hair or expression may differ between the pictures.
Stable Features vs. Changeable Features
The core skill is knowing which features a person can change in minutes and which are fixed by bone and cartilage.
| Stable Features (use these) | Changeable Features (discount these) |
|---|---|
| Ear shape, size and height relative to the eyes and nose | Hair color, length and style |
| Nose profile: bridge shape, length, tip and nostril shape | Beard, mustache or clean shave |
| Chin shape and how far it projects | Eyeglasses, sunglasses and hats |
| Jawline and the angle at the back of the jaw | Makeup and facial expression |
| Distance between the eyes and eye shape | Weight changes (partly; bone structure stays) |
| Forehead slope and brow ridge | Hairline (can be shaved or covered) |
| Permanent marks: scars, moles, tattoos | Clothing and accessories |
Expression deserves special care. A smile narrows the eyes, lifts the cheeks and widens the mouth; a frown lowers the brows. None of these changes the nose, ears or jaw. Do not eliminate a headshot just because the person is smiling in one picture and neutral in another.
Matching a Profile to a Headshot
A profile shows some features clearly and hides others. Use what each view can show:
| Feature | Seen Clearly in Profile? | Seen Clearly in a Front View? | How to Compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nose length and projection | Yes | Partly (length only) | Compare nose length with the distance from nose to chin |
| Forehead slope | Yes | No | Use only between profile options |
| Chin projection | Yes | Partly | A receding chin looks short from the front |
| Ear position and size | Yes | Yes (edges) | Check that the ear top aligns with the same facial landmark |
| Eye spacing | No | Yes | Cannot be checked from a pure profile |
| Lip thickness | Yes | Yes | Compare relative to the mouth width |
A Five-Step Elimination Method
- List three or four stable features from the profile. For example: long straight nose, strongly projecting chin, ear top level with the eyebrow, mole on the cheek.
- Ignore the changeable features entirely at first. Mentally "erase" hair, beards, glasses and expression.
- Check each headshot against your list. Cross out any option with a clearly different nose length, chin shape, ear position or permanent mark.
- Use proportions, not sizes. Photos can be at different scales; compare relationships (nose length versus forehead height, ear height versus eye level).
- Confirm the survivor. If two options remain, compare a second stable feature you have not yet used.
Worked Example (Described in Words)
A profile shows a man with short dark hair, a short upturned nose, a small receding chin, ears whose tops sit level with his eyebrows, and a small mole just below the left eye. The four headshots show:
- a. Blond hair, full beard, short upturned nose, receding chin, mole below the left eye.
- b. Short dark hair, long hooked nose, strong square chin.
- c. Short dark hair and the same expression, but ears set well below eye level and no mole.
- d. Shaved head, glasses, long straight nose, mole on the right cheek.
Options b and d have different noses, and c has different ear placement and no mole. Option a changes only hair color and facial hair, both changeable, while every stable feature matches. The answer is a, even though it looks least like the profile at first glance. This is the exact situation IOS describes: a suspect who has changed hair color or grown or shaved a beard.
Visualization Beyond Faces
IOS's definition also covers objects that are rotated, unfolded or rearranged, such as imagining a folded piece of paper opened up or an object turned around. The same discipline applies: identify the features that the change cannot alter (a hole's position relative to a fold, the order of colored faces around a cube) and use them to eliminate options. IOS's published NCJOSI² samples, however, use faces, so that is where to focus practice.
Practice Ideas
- Compare photos of the same public figure taken years apart, with different hairstyles or beards, and list the features that stayed the same.
- Ask a friend to photograph you in profile and from the front, then practice describing your own stable features.
- Time yourself on four-option sets, aiming to eliminate on stable features within about 45 seconds.
A suspect shown in a profile photo may have changed appearance before being seen again. Which difference between the profile and a headshot would most strongly indicate that the headshot shows a different person?
The headshot shows a different hair color
The headshot shows a full beard that the profile lacks
The headshot shows the person smiling broadly, while the profile shows a neutral expression
The ears sit well below eye level, but the profile shows them level with the eyebrows
According to the IOS study guide, what do NCJOSI² visualization items ask candidates to do?
Recognize a face after changes such as different hair color, facial hair or expression
Memorize a crime scene drawing for one minute and answer questions after it is removed from view
Find a string of characters that exactly matches a target string
Choose the shortest route between two points on a map
A profile shows a woman with a long straight nose, a projecting chin, a scar through her right eyebrow and shoulder-length brown hair. Which headshot is most likely the same person?
Shoulder-length brown hair, short upturned nose, receding chin, no scar
Short red hair, glasses, long straight nose, projecting chin, scar through the right eyebrow
Shoulder-length brown hair, long straight nose, projecting chin, scar through the left eyebrow
Long brown hair in a ponytail, long hooked nose, projecting chin, no scar
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.