Improving Accuracy of Eye Witness Testimonies

• What are the limitations of eyewitness testimony?

  Anxiety, misleading information, post-event contamination
• What is the purpose of the cognitive interview in police interviews?

  To improve the accuracy of eyewitness testimony
• Who studied witness interview techniques in Florida?

  Fisher
• What did Fisher term the standard interview?

  The interview techniques he observed in police stations
• What issue did Fisher identify with the standard interview?

  Witnesses were bombarded with closed questions
• What is one feature of the cognitive interview?

  Context reinstatement
• What does context reinstatement involve?

  Mentally returning to the crime scene
• What does the technique of 'report everything' entail?

  Witnesses share all details, even irrelevant ones
• What is the purpose of recalling from another person's perspective?

  To disrupt the witness's schema
• What does recalling in reverse order aim to achieve?

  To disrupt the witness's expectations
• What is the enhanced cognitive interview?

  A version with additional comfort suggestions
• What did Fisher's field research reveal about cognitive interviews?

  Cognitive interview trained detectives gained more information
• What was the increase in information gained by cognitive interview trained detectives?

  47% more information
• What did Kroken's meta-analysis find about the cognitive interview?

  It increased recall of accurate information
• What was the accuracy rate of the cognitive interview compared to the standard interview?

  85% for cognitive, 82% for standard
• What did Mine and Bull's study reveal about the cognitive interview instructions?

  No difference between each instruction's effectiveness
• Which combination of instructions increased recalled information?

  Context reinstatement and report everything
• What is a limitation of the cognitive interview in real-world applications?

  It takes time and requires training
• Why might police forces hesitate to use cognitive interviews?

  Limited financial resources and time constraints
• What is a weakness of the cognitive interview regarding identity parades?

  It is not effective for identifying subjects
• What is the modified cognitive interview?

  A version adapted for younger children
• What age group was the modified cognitive interview shown to be effective for?

  Four to five year olds
• What are the four defining features of the cognitive interview?

  1. Context reinstatement
  2. Report everything
  3. Recall from another's perspective
  4. Recall in reverse order
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the cognitive interview?

  Strengths:

  • Increases amount of information recalled
  • High validity from real case studies

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Time-consuming
  • Requires trained personnel
  • Not effective for identity parades