Week 4 - Investigative Interviewing Techniques

Question 1

What are three ways that we can think about memory?

Answer 1

1. stored information
2. retrieved information
3. output on a memory test

Question 2

What is the initial consideration with testimony and recall reliability?

Answer 2

What do we mean by accuracy? Is it quantity, or is it accuracy?

Question 3

How can we distinguish accuracy in testimony and recal

Answer 3

Global item vs. item accuracy - one error doesn’t equal an unreliable witness

Question 4

What are the two interacting processes in the strategic regulation of memory outputs?

Answer 4

1. monitoring process (assessing how likely that info is to be accurate)
2. control processes (determine what witnesses report, determine the level of detail reported)

Question 5

How do witnesses decide that retrieved detail is correct (monitoring process)?

Answer 5

Reliance on heuristics that are often, but not always reliable:

• amount and strength of info retrieved that supports the answer
• fluency (ease) with which information comes to mind

Question 6

What is involved in the control processes?

Answer 6

1. regulating report opinion (volunteering vs witholding info)
2. regulating grain size (or precision), (detailed vs vague responses)

Question 7

What is the tradeoff that occurs in the control processes?

Answer 7

Informativeness vs accuracy tradeoff (hence, strategic regulation)

Question 8

What is report option and grain size influenced by when it comes to control processes?

Answer 8

1. confidence (guided by heuristics)
2. constraints imposed at test by interviewer
   (e. g., “only tell us things about which you are certain” vs. “tell us everything so we can follow every possible lead”)

Question 9

What is the key implication for strategic regulation in testimony and recall?

Answer 9

1. EWs probably wont’ tell us everything they remember
2. Reporting depends on
   - witness metacognitions
   - interviewer behaviour

Question 10

How much research is there on strategic regulation for EW recall?

Answer 10

limited

Question 11

What are some key issues with variables associated with accuracy?

Answer 11

• interview format (closed vs. open)
• number of interviews (freezing, RIF)
• delay to first interview and intervals between interviews

Question 12

Closed questions:

Answer 12

increase reporting and decrease accuracy/

Question 13

open interviews are:

Answer 13

recommended pratice

Question 14

___ and __ can vary across interviews

Answer 14

report option, grain size

Question 15

What is crucial for activating and maintaining trace strength?

Answer 15

early interview

Question 16

What does emotional arousal predict at encoding (supposedly).
And is the data consistent with this?

Answer 16

Inverted U shape of arousal - medium arousal is optimal for encoding.
The data is not consistent with this hypothesis.

Question 17

What is seen when it comes to the effects of emotional arousal? What has real life/field studies shown?

Answer 17

• unpleasant events recalled quite well

- holocaust survivors, ‘flashbulb’ memories

Question 18

In the lab studies, what has research shown us with the effects of emotional arousal?

Answer 18

• unpleasant events recalled poorly

- interactions are likely

Question 19

Are highly negative emotional events well remembered?

Answer 19

Not always - evidence confusing.

Question 20

What is interacting when looking at how much we remember when it comes to emotional arousal?

Answer 20

emotional content x type of detail mediated by attention

Question 21

Over multiple interviews, testimonial inconsistencies are likely:

Answer 21

• contradictions

- reminiscence

Question 22

Most of us are unlikely to be convinced by witnesses who:

Answer 22

• contradict themselves
• forget information reported at earlier interviews
• report new information at later interviews

Question 23

What percentages of witnesses produce contradictions in testimony?

Answer 23

97%

Question 24

Contradictions in testimony predict accuracy at item level, by are

Answer 24

only very weakly related to global accuracy.

Question 25

Why does reminiscence seem to violate the basic principles of memory (and seems to reflect external influences instead)?

Answer 25

- memory weakens over time | - recall less as time passes

Question 26

What percentage of witnesses display reminiscence?

Answer 26

98%

Question 27

Reminiscence may be an effect of what?

Answer 27

multiple interviews and interview format

Question 28

Reminiscent details can have what in terms of accuracy?

Answer 28

High accuracy

Question 29

Reminiscent details are usually not related to what?

Answer 29

Global accuracy.

Question 30

Recall accuracy will be determined by what two points?

Answer 30

1. effectiveness of E/W monitoring and control processes | 2. Interviewing variables (format, delay, etc)

Question 31

Testimonial inconsistencies are NOT indicative of what reliability?

Answer 31

global

Question 32

What's the foundation of all interviews?

Answer 32

The cognitive interview

Question 33

What are the 3 problems in interviewing?

Answer 33

1. witness expectations 2. interviewer expectations 3. lack of (good) standardised techniques

Question 34

How was the cognitive interview developed? (2)

Answer 34

- as standard procedure for effective interviewing | - based on psychological principles of memory and effective communication

Question 35

What is the foundational understanding that the cognitive interview is based on?

Answer 35

- recall memory is (re)constructive - how you ask the question affects the answer you get - designed to assist retrieval, optimise reporting - understanding memory functioning and social dynamics

Question 36

What are 3 things behind the cognitive interview principle, aiding retrieval?

Answer 36

- (mental)reinstatement of context - multiple and varied retrieval attempts - limited mental resources (reduce distractions, avoid disruptions, evidence that eye closing works)

Question 37

How do we optimise reporting in the cognitive interview?

Answer 37

- Active witness participation (although they often wait to be prompted) - crime relevant information (guide witness, strategic use of closed questions/prompts) - promote detailed responses (encourage witness not to edit responses, provide as much detail as possible) - non verbal responding (drawing etc)

Question 38

What are the 5 stages of the cognitive interview? But will vary based on other factors.

Answer 38

- introduction/rapport building - open ended narrative - probing - review - closing

Question 39

The cognitive interview is not a ___ more of a ____

Answer 39

formula, toolbox

Question 40

What is the basic methodology of cognitive interview research?

Answer 40

volunteer Ps, non violent videos, hours or days delay, cognitive interview VS. standard police interview or a structured interview.

Question 41

What were the key cognitive interview findings? (3)

Answer 41

1. Elicits more correct information than standard interview. 2. Leads interviewer retaining more information than standard interview. 3. Advantage holds for person, place and event descriptions.

Question 42

In the real world, CI training with pre and post training, and trainings vs. no training showed how much of an increase in information?

Answer 42

50%, 60%

Question 43

The additional info received in the CI had approx 95% what?

Answer 43

accuracy/corroboration

Question 44

What are the 4 key benefits of CI training?

Answer 44

- decreased number of Q's asked - decreased number of leading Q's - increased proportion of open ended questions - increased number of pauses (thinking time)

Question 45

What are the 3 basic findings found from lab and field studies in a variety of settings, to do with the cognitive interview?

Answer 45

1. CI changes style of interview 2. CI elicits more correct information 3. No decrease in accuracy

Question 46

What are 3 limitations of the CI?

Answer 46

1. uncooperative witnesses 2. only useful early on (before EW rehearse report) 3. time consuming and hard work

Question 47

What is the implication of the CI only being useful early on?

Answer 47

We can't do it at the crime scene.

Question 48

What is the self administered interview?

Answer 48

given at crime scene, booklet E/W work through at own pace

Question 49

Recall at initial interview found that the self administered interview elicits ____ with no cost to accuracy of recalled info, compared to free recall

Answer 49

more

Question 50

Recall after a 1 week delay found that participants who completed the self administered interview straight after event, recall ___ info with ____ accuracy than Ps who do not, on later free recall task

Answer 50

More, Higher

Question 51

What are 2 problems for the legal system?

Answer 51

1. If there are multiple perpetrators, individual perpetrators may admit presence but dispute participatory acts 2. memory errors for actions/sequence of events can discredit an otherwise reliable witness

Question 52

What are 'timeline' techniques?

Answer 52

- common sense making tool in investigations - common in autobiographical memory research - for autobiographical information, timeline formats enhance recall accuracy

Question 53

We want to know if we can use timeline techniques for ______

Answer 53

episodic recall

Question 54

What are the key components on creating a timeline tool?

Answer 54

- physical timeline - report cards (action cards, person description cards) - start anywhere and re arrange cards - link actions or sequence info to individuals involved - use as many cards as possible

Question 55

Timeline techniques can provide useful ___ info, and info about _____.

Answer 55

sequencing | multiple perpetrator crimes