Week Four - Recall Memory & Effective Interviewing Techniques Flashcards
Consideration for E/W recall memory?
Defining accuracy (eg quantity vs accuracy)
Accuracy across items (global vs item accuracy) - one error does not equal unreliable witness
Two control processes?
Report Option - volunteering vs withholding Grain Size - detailed vs vague informativeness vs accuracy tradeoff
What determines what witnesses report? (report option and grain size influenced by)
Report option and grain size influenced by:
- confidence (guided by heuristics)
- constraints imposed at test by interviewer
Interview variables associated with accuracy?
- interview format (closed vs. open)
- number of interviews
- delay to first interview & intervals between interviews
Interview format (closed vs. open)
closed Q’s increase reporting and decrease accuracy (suggestiveness, promoting guessing)
Number of interviews
report option and grain size can vary across interviews
freezing, retrieval induced forgetting
Delay to first interview & intervals between interviews
early interview crucial for activating and maintaining trace strength
Effects of emotional arousal? (real life)
– unpleasant events recalled quite well
– holocaust survivors, ‘flashbulb’ memories
Effects of emotional arousal? (lab)
– unpleasant events recalled poorly
– interactions are likely
however, lack ecological validity
Testimonial Consistency
Eyewitnesses are usually interviewed on a number of occasions
Over multiple interviews, testimonial inconsistencies are likely
Leads to
– contradictions
– reminiscence
most of us are unlikely to be convinced by witnesses who?
– contradict themselves
– forget information reported at earlier interviews
– report new information at later interviews
surveys of police, lawyers, judges and jurors indicate
inconsistency is viewed as hallmark of inaccuracy
Characteristics of testimony (perceived to be) associated with accuracy
contradictions
reminiscence
% who provide contradictions?
97% Brewer
Facts about contradictions?
- contradictions predict accuracy at item level
BUT - contradictions only very weakly related to global
accuracy
Reminiscence facts
Seems to violate basic principles of memory
– memory weakens over time
– recall less as time passes
Not indicative to global accuracy
% who provide contradictions?
98% (Gilbert & Fisher)
Recall accuracy will be determined by?
- effectiveness of E/Ws monitoring & control processes
2. interviewing variables (format, delay, etc.)
Why was the CI developed?
– as standard procedure for effective interviewing
– based on psychological principles of memory &
effective communication
CI was designed to?
– assist retrieval
– optimise reporting of information by witnesses
CI is based on?
Based on understanding of memory functioning & social
dynamics
Principles of the CI? (memory & cognition)
PRINCIPLES OF MEMORY AND COGNITION Aiding Retrieval – (Mental) Reinstatement of context – Multiple & varied retrieval attempts • Activate & strengthen multiple retrieval paths to stored info (e.g., reverse chronological order) – Limited mental resources • Reduce distractions (e.g., eye-closure) • Avoid interruptions
Principles of the CI? (social dynamics & communication)
PRINCIPLES OF SOCIAL DYNAMICS & COMMUNICATION
Optimising Reporting
– Active witness participation (Witnesses often wait to be prompted)
– Crime relevant information
• Guide witness to relevant topics
• Strategic use of closed questions/prompts
– Promote detailed responses
• Encourage witnesses to not edit responses
• Provide as much detail as possible
5 stages of the CI?
- Introduction / rapport building
- Open ended narrative
- Probing
- Review
- Closing
CI vs standard police interview?
Enhanced CI elicits more correct information than standard interview
– Approx. 50 - 60%
Enhanced CI leads to interviewer retaining more information than standard interview
– Approx. 40 %
Advantage holds for person, place, and event descriptions