M: Lesson 12: Cognitive Interview

Question 1

Fisher et al Experiment

Answer 1

• Studies real police interviews over a four-month period and found that questions were brief, direct, fact based and closed.
• Witnesses were often interrupted and not allowed to expand upon further answers.
• This was referred to as a standard interview
• They argued that this might be contributing to the failure of eyewitnesses to accurately recall the event they had witnessed

Question 2

Geiselman et al Procedure

Answer 2

Developed the cognitive interview to improve police interview techniques and obtain more accurate information from eyewitnesses.

Question 3

What are the 4 main stages of cognitive interview (Geiselman et al)

Answer 3

Context Reinstatement, Report everything, Recall from a changed perspective, Recall in reverse order

Question 4

What is context reinstatement? (Geiselman et al)

Answer 4

The witness tries to mentally recreate an image of the situation, including details of the environment, such as the weather conditions and emotional state, including their feelings at the time of the incident. These may act as retrieval cues to improve recall

Question 5

What is Report everything? (Geiselman et al)

Answer 5

The interviewer encourages the witness to recall all details about the event, even if they seem unimportant. This may highlight details which have been overlooked and trigger more memories.

Question 6

What is Recall from a changed perspective? (Geiselman et al)

Answer 6

The witness tries to mentally recreate the situation from different points of view e.g describing what another witness present at the scene would’ve seen, promoting a holistic view of the event, which might enhance recall and reduce the influence of schemas. Schemas are mental structures of preconceived ideas.

Question 7

What is Recall in reverse order? (Geiselman et al)

Answer 7

The witness is asked to recall the scene in a different chronological order e.g from end to beginning. This should verify the accuracy of the account and reduce the possibility that recall may be influenced by schemas/expecations.

Question 8

What is enhanced cognitive interview?

Answer 8

• Fisher added additional guidelines for police interviews:
  
  • Encourage the witness to relax and speak slowly, reducing anxiety and enhance recall
  • Avoid distractions
  • Use open-ended questions
  • Offer comments to help clarify witness statements

Question 9

Positive evaluation of cognitive interview

Answer 9

• Geiselman et al showed participants a video of a simulated crime and tested recall using the cognitive interview, standard interview or hypnosis. The cognitive interview led to the most information being recalled by the eyewitness
• Fisher et al trained real police officers in Miami to use the cognitive interview. They found a 46% increase in the amount of information witnesses gave. 90% of the information that could be verified was accurate

Question 10

Negative evaluation of cognitive interview

Answer 10

• Koehnken et al found witnesses recalled more incorrect information when interviewed with the cognitive interview compared to the standard interview technique, perhaps because more detailed recall increases the chance of making a mistake
• The cognitive interview is time consuming to implement and police officers do not often have the time, training and resources to use it
• Memon et al reported that police officers believed that Recall from changed perspective stage of the cognitive interview misleads witnesses into speculating about the event they witnessed rather than reporting what they actually saw.