Improving the accuracy of eyewitness testimony Flashcards
How can we improve the accuracy of eyewitness testimony?
Use the cognitive interview
What are the 4 techniques used in the cognitive interview?
Report everything
Reinstate the context
Reverse the order
Change perspective
What happens during report everything
Witnesses are encouraged to include every single detail of the event.
What happens during reinstate the context
The witness should return the original crime scene ‘in their mind’- this means imagining details about the environment
What happens during reverse the order
Events should be recalled in different chronological order to the original sequence
What happens during change perspective
Witnesses should recall the incident from other people’s perspective
Who developed the enhanced cognitive interview?
Fisher et al (1987)
What else is included in the enhanced cognitive interview?
Reducing eyewitness anxiety
Minimising distractions
Getting the witness to speak slowly
Asking open-ended questions.
Who offers support for the enhanced cognitive interview?
Kohnken et al (1999)
Which 2 elements of the cognitive interview were found to produce better recall when combined than any of the others?
Report everything & Reinstate the context
How can the cognitive interview be criticised?
Lack of standardisation
Can create inaccurate recall
