Improving The Accuracy Of Eyewitness Testimony: Cognitive Interview Flashcards
What is Cognitive Interview
A method of interviewing eyewitnesses to help them retrieve more accurate memories
Uses four main techniques - Report Everything, Reinstate the Context, Reverse the Order and Change Perspective
What are the 4 main techniques of a Cognitive Interview
Report Everything
Reinstate the Context
Reverse the Order
Change Perspective
Describe Report Everything
Witnesses are encouraged to include every detail of the event regardless of how important they think it is
Some small details may be important and may trigger other important memories
Describe Reinstate the Context
Witness should return to the original crime scene ‘in their mind’ and imagine the environment and the emotions
Describe Reverse the Order
Events should be recalled in a different order from the original sequence
Prevents people from reporting their expectations of how the event must have happened rather than reporting the actual events
Prevents dishonesty as it is harder for people to produce an untruthful account if the order is reversed
Describe Change the Perspective
Witnesses should recall the incident from other people’s perspectives (perpetrator or other witnesses)
Disrupts the effect of expectations and the effect of schema on recall
What is the Enhanced Cognitive Interview (ECI)
Fisher et al (1987) -
Developed additional elements of the Cognitive Interview to focus on the social dynamics of the interaction
Includes ideas such as reducing eyewitness anxiety, minimising distractions, getting the witness to speak slowly and asking open-ended questions
Evaluation (STRENGTH) - Support for the effectiveness of the Cognitive Interview
Köhnken et al (1999) -
Did a meta-analysis that combined the data from 55 studies comparing the CI/ECI with standard police interviews
The CI gave an average 41% increase in accuracy of information compared with the standard interview
Only 4 studies showed no difference
Shows the CI is an effective technique in helping witnesses to recall information
Evaluations - Support for the effectiveness of the Cognitive Interview - (COUNTERPOINT)
Köhnken et al -
Also found an increase in the amount of inaccurate information recalled by participants
Particularly in the ECI which produced more incorrect details than the CI
Cognitive Interviews may sacrifice the quality of the EWT
Means police officers should treat eyewitness evidence from CI/ECI with caution
Evaluation (WEAKNESS) - Some elements may be more useful
Not all elements of a CI are equally effective and useful
Milne and Bull (2002) -
Found that each of the four techniques used alone produced more information than the standard police interview
Also found that using a combination of Report Everything and Reinstate the Context produced better recall than any other method or combination
Confirmed police officer’s suspicions that some aspects of the CI are more useful than others
Casts some doubt on the credibility of the overall Cognitive Interview
Evaluation (WEAKNESS) - The Cognitive Interview is time consuming
Police officers may be reluctant to use the CI as it takes more time and training that the standard police interview
Kebbell and Wagstaff (1997) -
More time is needed to establish rapport and allow the witness to relax
The CI requires special training and many forces do not have the resources to provide more than a few hours
Suggests the complete CI as it exists is not a realistic method for police officers to use and it may be better to focus on key elements
Evaluation (STRENGTH/WEAKNESS) - Variations of the Cognitive Interview
Police forces have taken a ‘pick and mix’ approach to the various techniques in the CI
Means it is hard to compare the effectiveness of different approaches in research studies
However, this ‘pick and mix’ approach is more flexible meaning individuals can develop their own approach according to what works best for them
