Improving the accuracy of eyewitness testimony: cognitive interview Flashcards

1
Q

What do Fisher & Gieselman argue about eyewitness testimony?

A
  • argued that EWT could be improved if police used better techniques when interviewing witnesses.
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2
Q

What do Fisher & Gieselman recommend?

A
  • techniques should be based on psychological insights - such as the cognitive interview
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3
Q

What are the four main techniques used in the cognitive interview?

A
  • report everything
  • reinstate the context
  • reverse the order
  • change perspective
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4
Q

explain report everything technique

A
  • witnesses are encouraged to include every single detail of the event even trivial details
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5
Q

Why is the reporting everything technique effective?

A
  • trivial details may be important and may trigger other memories
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6
Q

Explain reinstate the context technique

A
  • witnesses should return to original crime scene ‘in their mind’
  • imagine the environment and what their emotions were like
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7
Q

Why is the reinstate the context technique effective?

A
  • linked to context-dependent forgetting
  • more likely to recall information if we are in environment where encoding took place
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8
Q

Explain reverse the order technique

A
  • events should be recalled in a different order from original sequence i.e. middle to beginning
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9
Q

Why is the reverse the order technique effective?

A
  • prevents people reporting their expectations of how the event happened
  • also prevents dishonesty (harder to lie)
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10
Q

Explain change the perspective technique

A
  • Witnesses should recall the incident from other peoples perspective i.e. other witnesses or the perpetrator
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11
Q

Why is the change the perspective technique effective?

A
  • disrupts the effect of schema on recall (expectations of what happened in a particular setting)
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12
Q

What additional elements did Fisher develop and why?

A
  • The enhanced cognitive interview (ECI)
  • developed to focus on the social dynamics of the interaction e.g.
    -interviewer needs to know when to maintain eye contact
    -reducing eyewitness anxiety
    -minimise distractions
  • asking open-ended questions
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13
Q

What research is there to support the effectiveness of the cognitive interview?

A
  • evidence that it works
  • Kohnken et al conducted a meta-analysis combining data from 55 studies comparing the CI with standard police interviews
  • CI increased accuracy of information by 41% compared to standard police interview
  • shows that the CI is an effective technique in helping witnesses to recall information
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14
Q

What is a counterpoint for research support for the effectiveness of the CI?

A
  • Kohnken also found an increase in the amount of inaccurate information recalled by P’s
  • particular issue in ECI
  • Cognitive interviews may sacrifice quality of EWT ( accuracy) in favour of quantity
  • PO’s should treat EW evidence from CI/ECI’s with caution
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15
Q

What is a limitation of the cognitive interview concerning some of its elements?

A
  • not all elements of the CI are equally effective or useful
  • Milne & Bull found that each of the four techniques used alone produced more info than the standard police interview
  • A combo of ‘report everything’ & ‘reinstate the context’ produced better recall than any other elements
  • cast some doubt on the credibility of the overall CI
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16
Q

What is a limitation of the cognitive interview in terms of it being time consuming?

A
  • police officers reluctant to use CI because it takes more time and training than a standard police interview
  • e.g. more time needed to establish rapport with a witness & allow them to relax (specialist training)
  • suggest the CI is not realistic method for PO’s to use
  • police forces have taken ‘pick & mix’ approach