The Cognitive interview

Question 1

What is the cognitive interview and who created it?

Answer 1

Geiselman - An interviewing method used by police to improve the accuracy of eyewitness testimony.

Question 2

Describe the 4 steps of the cognitive interview.

(And their role in improving EWT accuracy)

Answer 2

1. Context reinstatement
   
   • Attmept to mentally/physicalty recreate scene
   • Environmental cues aid in recall.
2. Report everything
   
   • Witness asked to recount all (even unimportant) details of event
   • Unimportant information arises, connections made
3. Change order
   * Reduces effect of gap filling by Schema
4. Change perspective
   * Reduced effect of schema/possible bias.

context, everything, order, perspective.

Question 3

1 pro, 2 cons of Cognitive interview

(Hint) quantity over….

Answer 3

(Pro) Meta analysis support
* 53 studies on cog vs standard,
* Cog produces 34% more correct information than standard.

(Con) Quantity over quality
* 61% more false positives produces than standard
* Does not guarantee accuracy.

(Con) Time consuming
* interview + training police
* Expensive
* Possible increased witness forgetting if in “queue”.