Booklet 3: Improving Memory

Question 1

What is the cognitive interview?

Answer 1

On the basis of Loftus’ research, the cognitive interview was designed by Fisher and Geiselman to try and increase the accuracy of EWT. it is designed for use in police interviews and involves a whole new way of questioning witnesses based around the idea that there are several different paths to each memory and information not available through one technique may be accessible through another.

Question 2

How many components are there of the cognitive interview?

Answer 2

4.

Question 3

What are the components of the cognitive interview?

Answer 3

Report everything, Mental reinstatement of context, change the order and change the perspective.

Question 4

Explain ‘report everything’…

Answer 4

The interviewer should encourage the interviewee to report every single detail sen if it seems totally irrelevant.

Question 5

Explain ‘Mental reinstatement of context’…

Answer 5

The interviewer encourages the interviewee to mentally recreate the environment i.e. to recall thing alike the weather, distinctive smells, lighting and how they were feeling.

Question 6

Explain ‘Change the order’…

Answer 6

The interviewer should encourage the interviewee to describe the event in reverse order or to start from the most memorable moment and work backwards or forwards from there.

Question 7

Explain ‘change the perspective’…

Answer 7

The interview is asked to describe the incident from the perspective of other people who were present at the time.

Question 8

What are the extra features that were added in the enhanced cognitive interview by Fisher?

Answer 8

Minimisation of distractions, Reduction of anxiety, getting the witness to speak slowly and asking open ended questions.

Question 9

What is the first evaluation point for the Cognitive interview?

Answer 9

The CI seems to be more useful for some witnesses than others. For example, negative stereotypes about the weakness of older peoples recall can make such witnesses overly cautious about reporting information. Research has shown that as they are encouraged to report any detail, regardless of significant, this leads to significant improvement in recall. This means that there are individual differences in how effective the technique can be.

Question 10

What is the second evaluation point for the CI?

Answer 10

It is suggested that there are practical problems with using the CI in real life. For example, Kebbel & Wagstaff report that police officers say that this technique requires more time and training than is often available. This means that the use of this technique is not widespread in the UK.

Question 11

What is the third evaluation point for the CI?

Answer 11

There are problems with evaluating the effectiveness of the CI as not all police forces use it in exactly the same way. For example, Thames Valley Police do not use the ‘changing perspectives’ component and other police forces who claim to use the Ci, only use ‘reinstate the context’ and ‘report everything’ components. This means it is difficult to accurately compare and provide evidence relating to the CI.

Question 12

What is a mnemonic?

Answer 12

Any technique that is used to improve memory recall.

Question 13

What are the two types of mnemonic?

Answer 13

Visual and verbal.

Question 14

What are the verbal mnemonics?

Answer 14

Acronyms and acrostics and narrative chaining.

Question 15

What are acronyms?

Answer 15

Abbreviations made up of the first letter of each word in a sentence e.g. be right back.

Question 16

What are acrostics?

Answer 16

Sentences or poems where the first letter of each word represents the item to be remembered e.g. Because = Big elephants can’t always understand small elephants.

Question 17

What is narrative chaining?

Answer 17

This involves linking the words of a list to create a story. By using the words and associating them with each other you create a firmer connection between the new words and those already stored in your memory.

Question 18

What is chunking?

Answer 18

Combining information to make information stronger and make memory recall greater e.g. DVD

Question 19

What are the visual mnemonics?

Answer 19

Method of Loci, Peg word method, Mind maps and key Word Method.

Question 20

What is method of loci?

Answer 20

Using a mental image of a place you know well- such as your home- and take a mental walk through the rooms in a set order. Then put the names from your list one by one into the rooms. E.g. A fish in the bath. When you want to recall the words from your list you can mentally visualise the walk through the house.

Question 21

What is the peg word method?

Answer 21

This is typically used for remembering an ordered list of times, it involves two stages.

1. The learner memorises a rhyming scheme for the numbers 1 to 10 e.g. 1 is bun, 2 is shoe.
2. The learner creates a mental image of each item on the list interacting with the word that rhymes with the appropriate number.

Question 22

What is a mind map?

Answer 22

This involves making notes of information in the form of a drawing usually a branching pattern with the main topic in the centre and the component ideas radiating outwards. Pictures or different colours can be added to make things distinctive.

Question 23

What is the key word method?

Answer 23

This is usually associated with a memorable image. For example if you were remembering a group of people you could associate their name with a mental image. E.g. Cara with a Car.

Question 24

Why do memory techniques work?

Answer 24

Organisation and elaborative rehearsal.

Question 25

Explain what is meant by organisation…

Answer 25

Memory basically involves creating associations in the brain. By organising information we establish links that help these associations. Both word associations and visual images create these links. Organisation also helps the brain to find information much quicker.

Question 26

Explain what is meant by elaborative rehearsal…

Answer 26

Memory research has shown that long lasting memories are created through the process of elaboration. Mnemonic techniques make us elaborate the information so it is stored more deeply in the memory.

Question 27

What is the research evidence supporting memory improvement techniques?

Answer 27

The effectiveness of mnemonic techniques have been demonstrated in a wide range of studies e.g. O’hara et al (2007) found that training in the use of mnemonics such as the method of loci has long term memory benefits for older adults especially for those who contributed to use the technique after training.

Question 28

What are the limitations found for memory improvement techniques?

Answer 28

1. most of the studies have taken place in an artificial laboratory setting, using materials designed for testing that mnemonic. Studies done in more real life settings have shown much less convincing results.
2. People differ greatly in their ability to visualise and therefore the usefulness of visual images is dependent on this ability.
3. The strategies only work for certain tasks e.g. when trying to learn actual objects rather than ideas and concepts.