Cognitive interviews

• Cognitive interviews are a method of interviews based on techniques to improve memory recall
• cognitive interviews were created by Gieselman and Fisher (1982)
• Features of a cognitive interview:

  1. report everything
  2. reinstate the context
  3. recall in reverse order
  4. recall from a changed perspective
• Report everything- witnesses are encouraged to report everything as 'irrelevant' information could trigger memories
• reinstate the context- witnesses should imagine emotions and the environment they were experiencing at the time of the crime. Related to context dependent forgetting and gives witnesses a cue
• Recall in reverse order- events should not be recalled chronological order to prevent dishonesty and witnesses abiding by schemas
• recall from a changed perspective- events should be recalled from another person's point of view as it disrupts expectations and any schemas witnesses may have
• Enhanced cognitive interviews were created by Fisher in order to focus on the social dynamics of an interaction
• Enhanced cognitive interviews include:

  • no distractions
  • Active listening from interviewer
  • open ended questions
  • interviewer speaking slowly
  • maintained eye contact
• STRENGTHS

  • obtains accurate EWTs- Kohnken et al (1999) found cognitive interviews provided more accurate info
• LIMITATIONS

  • some techniques are more valuable- Milne and Bull (2002) found that a combination of 'report everything' and 'reinstate the context' produced the best recall
  • time consuming- Kebbell and Wagstaff (1996) found that it takes longer to train police and get witnesses comfortable
  • increases inaccurate info- Kohnken et al (1999) found that accurate info increased by 81% but inaccurate info increased by 61%