6🍓 Improving EWT: Cognitive Interview- Memory PAPER1

Question 1

Fisher (1987)

Answer 1

-studies techniques used by police in Florida when interviewing witnesses
-following factors used in standard interview identified as needing improvement
-witness given large number quick direct and closed questions
-order of questions not asked in way that matched witnesses mental representation
-witnesses not able talk freely about experience, frequently interrupted

Question 2

cognitive interview techniques (Fisher and Geiselman 1985)

Answer 2

Context Reinstatement
Report Everything
Recall from Changed Perspective
Recall in Reverse Order

Question 3

Context reinstatement

Answer 3

mentally returning to scene of crime, physical environment and emotional state, based on cue dependent forgetting

Question 4

report everything

Answer 4

all details even if seem irrelevant should be mentioned, triggering memories

Question 5

recall from changed perspective

Answer 5

mentally recreate how crime would be recalled from perspective of other witness, holistic view event minimise bias and disrupt schema

Question 6

recall in reverse order

Answer 6

recall switched to different chronology/ timeline eg end to beginning , challenge expectations schema

Question 7

enhanced cognitive interview techniques

Answer 7

focus building rapport, making interviewee more comfortable
-interviewer not distracting witness
-open ended questions
-reminder not to guess and use don’t know option when necessary
-get witness to relax, reduce anxiety

Question 8

strength cognitive interviews (F,G & A)

Answer 8

-Fisher, Geiselman & Amador (1989) used field study compare 7 detectives trained in cognitive interview with 9 detectives using standard interview
-results showed detectives trained in cognitive interviews received 63% more information in real interviews than untrained detectives
-suggests cognitive interview effective enhancing memory, improve information gained by real interviewing police officers operating in field

Question 9

limitation cognitive interview (time)

Answer 9

-practical problem tike consuming, require more time than officers have available especially when conducting time sensitive case
-require significant training and investment, disrupt officers from normal eork
-so cognitive interviews may not be adopted due to limited financial resources available to police

Question 10

limitation cognitive interview (children)

Answer 10

-effective eith older children and adults, less effective younger children as they are egocentric (only see world frim own perspective)
-Holliday create modified cognitive interview adapted to children developmental level, more accurate testimony in 4-5 year old

Question 11

strength cognitive interview (cost)

Answer 11

-cost benifits analysis consider effect on overall justice system and economy of cognitive interview
-may be worth adding affiliations resources invested in training to make more effective police force wirh cognitive interview ultimately reducing crime and its cost to wider society

Question 12

limitation cognitive interview (identity)

Answer 12

-not effective improving recognition suspects in identity parades and photographs
-cognitive interview limited usefulness in number common police activities involving witness testimony