The Cognitive Interview

Question 1

Who developed the CI?

Answer 1

Fisher and Geiselman found that people remember things better if they are provided with retrieval cues.

They developed this technique based on proven psychological principles concerning effective memory recall

Question 2

Processes of the CI

Answer 2

1. REPORT EVERYTHING
   - every detail even if it may seem irrelevant
2. REINSTATE CONTEXT
   - mentally recreate environment and contexts

Creates as much consistency between interview process and actual incident

Increases presence of cues = accurate retrieval

1. CHANGE ORDER
   - alternative timelimes e.g reversing order
2. CHANGE PERSPECTIVE
   - multiple perspectives e.g other witness views

Reduces effects of schemas ( mental frameworks of expectations )

Forced to focus on actual events rather than to expectations

Question 3

Enhanced Cognitive Interview

Answer 3

Enhanced CI - Fisher

• establish eye contact
• reducing eyewitness anxiety
• minimising distractions
• open-ended questions
• witness speaks slowly

Question 4

EVALUATIONS (4)

Answer 4

EVALUATIONS

• Large scale empirical evidence - Kohnken et al
• Milne and Bull - empirical evidencee
• Practical disadvantages - Kebbel and Wagstaff

Question 5

EVAL: Large scale empirical evidence

Answer 5

Large scale empirical evidence

• meta-analysis found 34% increase in amount of correct information CI generated compared to standard interviews - Kohnken et al
• C/A most studies conducted in a lab with mostly college students - low external validity
• experiments not taken from real life and ppts not representative of wider population
• C/A unreliable as different polic forces use own versions of components
• e.g Thames Valley Police use basic Fisher and Geiselman technique without change perspectives

Question 6

EVAL: Empirical evidence for effectiveness of 2 components

Answer 6

Empirical evidence for effectiveness of 2 components

• Milne and Bull interviewed ppts using one component and compared to control group
• recall across all components produceed more info than the control group
• when report everything and reinstate context were used together recall was signifiantly higher
• empirical evidence
• however suggests not all parts of CI are effective

Question 7

EVAL: Practical disadvantages

Answer 7

Practical disadvantages

• tim-consuming, busy officers may not have time for all components
• Kebbel and Wagstaff showed experienced detectives only received brief training in CI
• interviewers may not fully understand CI
• might not be an appropriate method