Improving EWT: cognitive interviews

Question 1

Who developed the cognitive techniques to improve EWT

Answer 1

Fisher and Geiselman

Question 2

What are the 4 cognitive techs used to improve EWT

Answer 2

Report everything
Reinstate the context
Reverse the order
Change the perspective

Question 3

Report everything

Answer 3

Include every single detail of the event even if it seems irrelevant. These memories can trigger other important memories

Question 4

Reinstate the context

Answer 4

Should return to the crime scene in their mind and imagine the environment and their emotion. (context Dependent forgetting)

Question 5

Reverse the order

Answer 5

Events recalled in different chronological order to the original sequence. e.g. from back to beginning
This is done to prevent people from reporting their expectations of how the event actually went. It also prevents dishonesty

Question 6

Change the perspective

Answer 6

Witnesses should recall the event from another person’s perspective. This is done to disrupt the effect of expectations and schema on recall. The schema would generate expectations of what would have happened rather than what actually happened

Question 7

What is the enhanced cognitive interview

Answer 7

developed by Fisher et al and focuses on social dynamics of the interaction. e.g. when to make eye contact and when to relinquish it. This gets the witness to speak slowly. Also ask open ended questions (establish rapport)