AO3 Cognitive Interview

• Strength

  • evidence to support, Geisman et al
  • 89 p's were shown police training films of simulated violent crimes
  • 48hrs later they were interviewed by experience police officer
  • CI, Hypnosis and standard interview
  • Cognitive interview did the best
• The Cognitive Interview: Fisher et al - field test of the cognitive interview
• Aim - to test the cognitive interview in the field
• Method - field experiments using actual interviews of real witnesses gathered by real police officers
• Sample - 16 detectives
• Procedure

  • detectives recorded interviews using the standard techniques they normally used
  • 7 detectives were then trained in the CI
  • over next 6 months more interviews were recorded
  • the post-training interviews were analysed by a team at the university of California, who were blind to the conditions
• Results

  • trained detectives obtained 47% more info than before the training
  • no difference in accuracy (about 85% correct in both cases)
  • CI's do take longer
• / there are field experiments which show how cognitive interview works

  • trained detective obtained 47% more info than before the training
  • detectives will be able to make a more informed decision when arresting a suspect
• / we know some techniques work better

  • milne found that the most effective combination to use is to report everything and context reinstatement
  • therefore we can avoid traumatising interviewees further
• X individual differences

  • children under 6 struggle to tel the story backwards and also feel like people think they are lying
  • therefore cannot be used with all ages
• X Time-consuming

  • more time is needed to establish rapport with the witness and allow time to relax, witnesses could go off point and tell irrelevant info
  • more salaries to pay = expensive