Memory- improving accuracy of EWT, CI AO1 Flashcards
Who developed the cognitive interview?
Fisher and Geiselman
Why was the cognitive interview developed?
To improve recall of eyewitnesses in police interviews
What is the encoding specificity principle?
Suggests that memory traces are made up of several features and as many retrieval cues as possible should be used to enhance recall
Cues present at crime should be reinstated during recall to improve accuracy
What are the 4 main features/strategies used in CI?
(COPE)
Context reinstatement
Change order
Change perspective
Recall everything
What is context reinstatement?
Interviewer encourages witness to return in their mind to place crime happened and remember how they felt emotionally, weather etc.
Sometimes full reconstruction and return to crime scene
Why does context reinstatement improve accuracy of recall?
Recalling how you felt and contetx enhances recall as cues present at both learning (crime) and recall (interview) –> encoding specificity principle
What is change order?
Witness asked to recall event from end in reverse back to start
What is change perspective?
Witness asked to describe event from different viewpoints other than their own
How do change order and change perspective improve accuracy of recall?
More accurate as less schemas being used to fill in gaps in knowledge
What is recall everything?
Witness asked to report every detail they can remember even if it seems irrelevant or trivial
How does recall everything improve accuracy of recall?
Witnesses may not realise that some details are important
Certain details may help recall significant information
What was the CI then further developed into?
The Enchanced Cognitive Interview (ECI)
What are some extra techniques used in the ECI?
Minimisation of distractions
Reduction of anxiety
Witness speak slowly
Open-ended questions
What is a standard police interview like?
Police interviewers will often interrupt witnesses
Direct, short-answer questions
Same order of questions to all witnesses (standardised checklist)
Leading/suggestive questions
Little/nothing to assist witness
What may be some implications of CI for economy?
Costs a lot of money to train police to use CI
Takes a lot of time to conduct so expensive
