Improving the accuracy of eyewitness testimony Flashcards
What is the cognitive interview?
A police technique developed by Fisher and Geiselman (1992) to improve EWT by enhancing retrieval through better questioning.
What are the four key techniques in the cognitive interview?
- Report everything – recall every detail, even if it seems irrelevant.
- Reinstate the context – mentally return to the scene (triggers cues).
- Reverse the order – recall events backwards to avoid expectations.
- Change perspective – recall from another person’s point of view.
What is the enhanced cognitive interview (ECI)?
An advanced version that includes social cues, reducing anxiety, and active listening to improve communication between interviewer and witness.
What is a strength of the cognitive interview supported by Milne & Bull (2002)?
Aim: Test effectiveness of individual CI components.
Procedure: Compared combinations of techniques.
Findings: “Report everything” + “reinstate context” was the most effective combo suggests those are the most useful parts of the CI.
What did Kohnken et al. (1999) find in their meta-analysis?
Compare CI with standard interview.
Procedure: Meta-analysis of 50 studies.
Findings: CI produced 41% more accurate info, but also more incorrect info than standard interviews — shows improved quantity, but not always quality.
What is a limitation of the cognitive interview related to practicality?
CI is time-consuming and requires special training, making it less practical for everyday police work compared to standard interviews.
How does the Cognitive Interview have real-world benefits?
helps police gather more accurate and detailed Eyewitness Testimony, which can reduce wrongful convictions and improve justice outcomes even if only parts of it are used.
What is a criticism related to increased incorrect information in the CI?
Kohnken et al. found an increase in false positives as well — suggesting CI can reduce reliability if not used carefully.
How does anxiety affect eyewitness testimony (EWT)?
Anxiety can increase or decrease accuracy of EWT depending on the situation.
What study supports the negative effect of anxiety on EWT?
Johnson & Scott (1976) – Weapon Focus Effect
What is the aim and procedure of Johnson & Scott (1976) – Weapon Focus Effect?
Aim: Investigate how anxiety affects recall.
Procedure: Participants heard an argument in another room.
What were the findings of Johnson & Scott (1976) – Weapon Focus Effect?
Low anxiety condition: Man walked through with a pen.
High anxiety condition: Man walked through with a bloody knife.
Findings:
Low anxiety: 49% correctly identified the man.
High anxiety: 33% accuracy — focus was on the weapon, not the face
What study supports the positive effect of anxiety on EWT?
Yuille & Cutshall (1986) – Real-life shooting
What is the aim and procedure of Yuille & Cutshall (1986) – Real-life shooting?
Aim: Investigate accuracy of EWT in real anxiety-inducing conditions.
Procedure: Interviewed 13 eyewitnesses to a real robbery/shooting in Canada. Compared accounts to police records months later.
What were the findings of Yuille & Cutshall (1986) – Real-life shooting?
Findings:
Witnesses were very accurate (despite stress).
High anxiety = most accurate (88% correct info vs 75% in low anxiety group).
What does the Yerkes-Dodson Law suggest about anxiety and EWT?
There’s an inverted U-shaped relationship:
Moderate anxiety = best recall
Too low or too high = less accurate
What is a strength of Johnson & Scott’s weapon focus study?
Controlled lab study – shows how anxiety (weapon presence) can reduce accuracy due to attention narrowing.
What is a limitation of Johnson & Scott (1976)?
Lacks ecological validity – artificial task, may not reflect how anxiety works in real crimes. May have measured surprise, not anxiety.
What is a strength of Yuille & Cutshall (1986)?
High ecological validity, real crime with real anxiety. Supports the idea that anxiety can improve memory in real-life events.
What is a limitation of Yuille & Cutshall’s study?
Field study = lack of control over variables (e.g. time since event, media exposure, individual differences in stress response).
Why is the Yerkes-Dodson law limited as an explanation?
Too simplistic – anxiety is complex and includes emotional, cognitive, and physiological factors, which the U-curve doesn’t fully explain.
