Improving The Accuracy of Eyewitness Testimony Flashcards
What is a cognitive interview?
A method of interviewing an eyewitness that aims to provide a more accurate eyewitness testimony using four main techniques.
What are the four main techniques used in the cognitive interview?
- Context Reinstatement.
- Report Everything.
- Change the Perspective.
- Reverse the Order.
Who developed the cognitive interview?
Fischer and Geisleman.
What is ‘context reinstatement’?
Asking the eyewitness to imagine themselves back at the scene of the crime; they are encouraged to imagine the environment and how they were feeling at the time.
What is ‘report everything’?
Where the interviewer asks the eyewitness to recall every detail of the event, even if the information may seem irrelevant.
What is ‘changing the perspective’?
Where the eyewitness is asked to recall the incident from a different perspective.
What is ‘reverse the order’?
Where the eyewitness is asked to recall the incident at the end and track backwards.
Which two techniques are the most effective in the cognitive interview?
- Context Reinstatement.
- Report Everything.
Who developed the enhanced cognitive interview?
Fischer et al.
What is the enhanced cognitive interview?
This is where all four techniques are still used but the interviewer knows when to establish eye contact, how to reduce eyewitness anxiety, how to minimise distractions, asking the witness to speak slowly and to ask open-ended questions.
What are the 5 evaluation points of the cognitive interview?
\+ Kohnken et al (1999). \+ Positive effect on the economy. - Ethical issues. - The duration of the cognitive interview. - May increase inaccurate recall.
