Cognitive Interview - Improving the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.

Question 1

Who created CI and why?

Answer 1

Geiselman and Fisher developed CI to increase the amount of accurate information provided by witnesses.

Question 2

What are the 4 main techniques of CI?

Answer 2

Report everything, reinstate the context, reverse the order, change perspective

Question 3

Describe Report everything

Answer 3

Witnesses are encouraged to include every single detail even if it may seem trivial as they may trigger other important memories.

Question 4

Describe Reverse the order

Answer 4

Events should be recalled in a different order rather than the original sequence. It prevents dishonesty and people reporting expectations of how the event occurred rather than reporting the actual events.

Question 5

Describe Reinstate the context

Answer 5

Witnesses should imagine the environment and emotions

Question 6

Describe Change perspective

Answer 6

Witnesses recall the incident from another persons point of view. This is done to minimise the effects of schemas.

Question 7

What is enhanced cognitive interview? - ECI

Answer 7

CI with addtional elements focusing on social aspects

e.g. establishing eye contact, minimisng distractions, reducing EW anxiety

Question 8

ao3: rsearch support

kohnken et al.

Answer 8

researchers conducted a meta analysis of studies comparing CI amd standard police interviews. Found 41% increase in accurate info compared to standard interviews. This sugguests that CIs help eyewitnesses recall info. This means that for police forces they are able to use it and gain info to stop crimes.

Question 9

Evaluation: (counterpoint) of research support

Answer 9

however researchers also found increases in inaccurate info recalled by ppts.
This was a particular issue in ECI. Sugguests that quality is sacrificed over quantity. Therefore its better to treat EWT from CI with caution.

Question 10

ao3: some elements more useful than others

Answer 10

researchers found that Each of the 4 elemets produced better recall alone than standard police interview.

however combo of ‘report everything’ and ‘reinstate context’ produced better recalled than any individual element and any other combo of them. This sugguests that some elements are more useful than others. This decreases overall credibility of the CI

Question 11

Evaluation: time consuming compared to standard police interview

Answer 11

E.g. time needed to create rapport with EW and allow them to relax. Requires special training - takes a lot of time and could also be costly/expensive . however some police forces just dont have enough resources to provide this.

Therefore its not a realistic method for police forces to use. - perhaps its better to focus on a few elements of the ci not all.