cognitive interview

Question 1

cognitive interview

Answer 1

method of interviewing eyewitnesses to help them retrieve more accurate memories using 4 techniques based on psychological insights

Question 2

report everything

Answer 2

witness is encouraged to include every single detail of the event, even if they seem irrelevant or trivial

Question 3

reinstate the context

Answer 3

the witness returns to original crime scene in their mind and imagine their environment and emotions. then asked to describe what they saw

Question 4

reverse the order

Answer 4

Events should be recalled in a different chronological order to the original sequence

Question 5

change perspective

Answer 5

Witnesses should recall the incident from the perspective of some else e.g. another witness or the perpetrator

Question 6

why is report everything important

Answer 6

Witnesses might not realise that some details are important, and these may trigger (act as cues for) other important memories, leading to more accurate testimonies.

Question 7

why is reinstate the context important

Answer 7

Recalling how you felt and the environment could enhance recall by preventing context-dependent and state-dependent forgetting

Question 8

why is reverse the order important

Answer 8

This is to prevent people from reporting their expectations of how the event must have happened rather than the actual events. It also prevents dishonesty as it’s harder to lie when you have to explain something backwards.

Question 9

why is change the perspective important

Answer 9

This disrupts the effect of expectations and schema on recall. The schema you have for a particular setting (e.g. going into a shop) generate expectations of what would have happened and it is the schema that is recalled rather than what actually happened.

Question 10

supporting evidence for cognitive interview- Milne and Bull

Answer 10

-found that using report everything and reinstate the context produced better recall
- so some aspects of the CI are more useful
- so these elements improve police interviewing

Question 11

weakness of cognitive interview from special training

Answer 11

• police may not use CI because it is time-taking and requires special training
• means it is unlikely that CI has been used which explains why police thought it is not effective

Question 12

weakness of studies of cognitive interviews- some used enhanced

Answer 12

• studies of effectiveness of CI use slightly different variations of CI/ some use enhanced
• so it is difficult to evaluate the CI because a true comparison cant be made

Question 13

supporting and undermining evidence of cognitive interviews - Kohnken et al.

Answer 13

• meta-analysis comparing enhanced CI and CI to standard interview
• enhanced CI provided more correct info and incorrect info than standard
• real life practical benefits to police using enhanced CI as gives police higher chance of catching criminal
• also increases incorrect info so testimonies still incorrect

Question 14

evaluation points for cognitive interviews

Answer 14

• supporting evidence from Milne and Bull
• weakness of cognitive interview from special training
• weakness of studies of cognitive interview- some use enhanced
• supporting/undermining evidence from Kohnken et al.