ACCURACY OF EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY- THE COGNITIVE INTERVIEW

Question 1

Burger for 1. mental reinstatement of original context (accuracy of eyewitness testimony- cognitive interview)

Answer 1

B: Mental reinstatement involves recreating the physical and psychological context of the event.
U: This technique helps facilitate cued recall by triggering memories associated with the original context.
R: Supported by research showing improved recall when individuals mentally recreate their original surroundings and feelings.
G: Strength: Köhnken et al. found a 34% increase in information recalled using the cognitive interview techniques.
E: Essential for accurate eyewitness testimony, as it enhances retrieval cues linked to the event.
R: Weakness: Effectiveness may vary; police training in this method can be inconsistent.

Question 2

Burger for 2.report everything (accuracy of eyewitness testimony- cognitive interview)

Answer 2

B: Reporting everything encourages witnesses to share all details, no matter how trivial they seem.
U: This technique can lead to additional cues that help enhance overall recall.
R: Milne and Bull found that the effectiveness of the cognitive interview is largely attributed to the “report everything” strategy.
G: Strength: Increases the volume of useful information collected from witnesses.
E: Vital for thorough investigations, ensuring that no potentially valuable detail is overlooked.
R: Weakness: Can lead to an increase in false positives, with Köhnken et al. reporting a 61% rate of inaccuracies.

Question 3

Burger for 3. change orger (accuracy of eyewitness testimony- cognitive interview)

Answer 3

B: Changing the order of recall helps minimize the influence of existing schemas on memory.
U: This technique disrupts the expected narrative, allowing for a more accurate recall of events.
R: Supported by Anderson and Pichert’s study, which showed that changing perspectives enhanced memory retrieval.
G: Strength: Reduces the bias that schemas can impose on eyewitness accounts.
E: Important for preventing distortions in memory and ensuring the integrity of eyewitness testimony.
R: Weakness: May confuse witnesses, potentially hindering accurate recall of the event.

Question 4

Burger for 4. change perspective (accuracy of eyewitness testimony- cognitive interview)

Answer 4

B: Changing perspective involves asking witnesses to describe the event from different viewpoints.
U: This can help disrupt established schemas and lead to new retrieval cues.
R: Anderson and Pichert’s research supports this method, demonstrating improved recall when participants adopted different perspectives.
G: Strength: Encourages comprehensive accounts, as it allows witnesses to reconsider the event from varied angles.
E: Useful for eliciting a fuller narrative, increasing the chances of retrieving critical details.
R: Weakness: Variability in implementation across different police forces may limit effectiveness.