EWT - Cognitive Interview

Question 1

Cognitive interview - based on psychological understanding of memory

Answer 1

Fisher and Geiselman (1992)

Claim EWT would improve if police used techniques based on psychological insights into memory function.

They called it the Cognitive Interview.

The CI establishes a rapport between the interviewer and the EW

Question 2

4 stages of the CI

Answer 2

1. Report everything

Even if it seems trivial or irrelevant, witnesses are encouraged to include every detail of the event - through this the interviewer is able to construct a complete picture of the event and the recall of seemingly trivial details can trigger other memories in the EW.

2. Reinstate context

Based on context-dependent forgetting, witness returns to the crime scene in their mind and tries to imagine every aspect of the environment and how they felt. Cues from the reinstatement of context may trigger recall

3. Reverse the order

Events recalled in a different order to how they actually occurred. Prevents EW from using their expectations of how the events must/should have occurred. Also reduces dishonesty (harder to produce untruthful account if it is reversed)

4. Change perspective

Witnesses asked to imagine recall from other EW perspectives. Prevents influence of expectations or schema on the accuracy of the EWT

Question 3

Enhanced CI

Answer 3

Fisher et al (1987) - developed additional elements to the CI

Focus on social dynamics of interview such as knowing when to establish and relinquish eye contact.

Also aims to reduce EW anxiety, minimise distractions, get the witness to speak slowly and asking open-ended questions.

Question 4

✅some elements of the full CI are useful

Answer 4

Milne and Bull (2002)

Found each element to be equally valuable.
However a combination of ‘report everything’ and ‘context reinstatement’ produced the best recall.
Shows that at least these 2 element should be implemented to improve effectiveness of police interviews.

Question 5

✅support for effectiveness of enhanced CI

Answer 5

Köhnken et al (1999) - meta analysis of 50 studies

Enhanced CI always produced better recall than standard police interviews.

Show real practical benefits to the use of the enhanced CI

Question 6

❌CI is time-consuming

Answer 6

Police reluctant to use CI as it takes so much time compared to standard police interviews.
Time is needed for the rapport to be built.

Kebbel and Wagstaff (1997)

point out that CI requires special training which is inaccessible to most government-funded police forces.

Although CI is a more effective option, it is unrealistic to expect police forces to be able to fully implement it.

Question 7

❌Variations of the CI may mean that research is unreliable

Answer 7

Studies of CI effectiveness use slightly different techniques.

Different researchers use different variations of the CI and the enhanced CI, and police forces all have different methods and variations of the standard police interview.

Weakness, as variations make it difficult to draw general conclusions abt the CI.

Question 8

❌CI produces increase in inaccurate information

Answer 8

Whilst the CI does increase accurate recall, inaccurate recall may also be increased.

Köhnken et al (1999)

found increase of 81% in correct info, but also a 61% increase in incorrect info when compared to a standard interview.

Increase in accurate information still supports the use of the CI in police forces, however the increase in inaccurate info means police would have to carefully monitor collected information.