Cognitive Interview

• Cognitive int def


  A method of interviewing EW to help them retrieve more accurate memories
• 4 types of cognitive interview


  1) Report everything

  2) Reinstate context (Tulving cue dependent)

  3) Reverse order

  4) Change perspective
• Report everything def


  -EW encouraged to recall every single detail (even if seems irrelevanr or ppt not confident)
• Reinstate context def


  -Witness shoukd imagine crime scene in their mind & imagine the context (environment)

  -Eg weather, emotions, what they see
• Reverse order def


  -Events shoukd be recalled in diff chronological order to original sequence

  -Prevents ppl reporting their expectation of how event must have happened (schema)

  -Prevents dishonesty as it's harder to make something up in random sequence
• Change sequence def


  -Recall the incident from diff ppt perspective (eg cowtiness, perpetrator)

  -Prevents effect of schema on recall (not recall expectations but reality)
• Enhanced cognitive interview def

  Interviewer takes time to establish rapport w/witness
• How to create a rapport to achieve enhanced control ve interview

  Minimise (distractions)

  Listen (actively listen to EW)

  Ask (open Qs)

  Pause (after each reponse)

  Encourage (use of imagery)

  Adapt (language to suit witness)

  Avoid (judgemental comments)

  Maintain (appropriate eye contact)
• Evaluation... ...
• Strengths in of cognitive interview

  +Supporting evidence for effectiveness of CI

  +Variation of CI
• Weaknesses of CI


  -Some say ECI creates more inaccurate recall

  -Other elements may be more useful

  -CI is time consuming
• Who did evidence support CI

  +Meta analysis by Gunter Kohnken (compared CI & ECI) in standard police int of 55 studies

  +CI= 41% increase in accurate info than ECI

  +Only 4 studies showed no differences between ECI & CI

  +So CI effective in helping EW recall info that is stored in memory but not immediately accessible
• How Is Variation of the CI a strength

  +Police forces take "pick & mix" approach to diff methods

  -Hard to compare effectiveness of diff methods

  +BUT it's more flexible so indv can develop their own approach ok what is best for them
• How is ppl saying ECI creates more inaccurate recall a weakness

  Kohnken also found more inaccurate recall in ECI than CI

  -CI may favour quantity & sacrifice quality

  -So police officers shoukd treat EW evidence from CI/ECI w/ caution
• How is other elements being mroe useful a weakness

  -not all elements are equally effective/ useful

  -Milne & Bulle found the 4 techniques used alone produced more info than standard police int

  -Found "report everything" & "reinstate the context was best combo for recall

  -So some aspects more important than others

  -Doubtful of credibility of overall CI
• How is CI being time consuming a weakness

  -Takes more time & training than standard police int

  -Eg more time needed to establish rapport

  -Many forced don't have resources for special training for more than a few hrs (required for CI) (Kebbell & Wagstaff)

  - So CI, not realistic to complete fully (may be best to focus on few key elements)