Memory: the cognitive interview

Question 1

What is the cognitive interview?

Answer 1

A questioning technique designed to improve the information that an eye witness can retrieve about a crime.

Question 2

Who developed the cognitive interview?

Answer 2

Geiselman and Fisher

Question 3

Parts of the cognitive interview

Answer 3

• Report everything
• Reinstate context
• Reverse order
• Change perspective

Question 4

What does the cognitive interview prevent

Answer 4

Schema
Retrieval failure

Question 5

What is the enhanced cognitive interview (Fisher)

Answer 5

Focuses on dynamic between interviewer and witness to improve recall

Question 6

Parts of the enhanced CI

Answer 6

Maintain eye contact
Open ended questions
Minimise distractions/avoid interruptions

Question 7

Evaluation

Answer 7

+ Kohnken: meta analysis of 55 studies: 41% more accurate info in CI compared to standard, only 4 studies showed no effect

• cannot standardise in meta analysis
• Konken also found increased inaccurate info (esp in enhanced) sacrifices quality over quantity

+ Lots of time and training required - many forces don’t have resources - not effectively implemented