Memory + Cog. Interview

Question 1

Name the stages of memory.

Answer 1

1. Perceiving events
2. Encoding information
3. Retrieving information

Question 2

Yerkes-Dodson Law

Answer 2

~ increase in arousal to an optimal level can help to boost performance
~ past the optimal level, performance starts to diminish

Question 3

Weapon focus

Answer 3

witnesses can describe the gun but not the perpetrator

Question 4

Change-blindness

Answer 4

a change in a visual stimulus is introduced and the observer does not notice it

Question 5

Post-event information can…

Answer 5

1) Enhance memory –> new info may improve memory

2) Compromise memory –> new info may hurt memory

Question 6

Cognitive interview

Answer 6

(Fisher and Geiselman, 1992)
~ extracting the detailed and accurate info
~ provide retrieval strategies to help the witness accessing specific memories

Question 7

Mental reinstatement of context

Answer 7

Physical e.g. environment
Personal e.g. feelings/emotional state
~ serve as contextual retrieval cues

Question 8

Sketch plan

Answer 8

~ interviewee draws out the event and actions
~ helps provide detailed and accurate information
~ helps interviewer understand

Question 9

Change temporal order (schema break)

Answer 9

~ start at end and go backwards

~ often used for sexual cases

Question 10

Memory enhancement techniques.

Answer 10

1) Mental reinstatement of context
2) Sketch plan
3) Change temporal order
4) Eye-closure
5) show me (actions)

Question 11

1. Perceiving events

Answer 11

~ stress = major factor
~ Yerkes-Dodson Law
~ Weapon focus
~ Change blindness

Question 12

3. Retrieving information

Answer 12

~ Memory slippage (time forgetting curve)
~ post-event info can…
~ words used…

Question 13

Words used in questioning can…

Answer 13

alter your memory

e.g. use of smashed vs contacted–> if smashed, higher speeds ‘remembered’