improving eye witness testimony

• cognitive interview

  • Geiselman et al (1984)
• cognitive interview process

  1. mental reinstatement of original context
  2. report everything
  3. change order
  4. change perspective
• 1 - mental reinstatement of original context

  • interviewee encouraged to mentally recreate the physical and psychological environment of original incident
• 2 - report everything

  • interviewee encouraged to report everything even if it seems insignificant as it may act as a cue for another piece of information
• 3 - change order

  • interviewee asked to consider an alternative timeline of the incident for example by reversing the order
• 4 - change perspective

  • interviewee asked to recall the incident from another perspective
• (+) research support for effectiveness

  • meta analysis, increase of 34% in the amount of correct information generated in the cognitive interview
  • C/A: effectiveness may be due to particular elements, not process as a whole
  • cognitive interview is effective at increasing correct information recalled by an eyewitness
• (-) quantity of incorrect information also increases

  • study found an 81% increase in correct information generated but also a 61% increase in incorrect information generated when using cognitive interview
  • cognitive interview does not guarantee accuracy / correct information
• (-) difficulty in establishing effectiveness of cognitive interview

  • not one procedure, but a collection of related techniques
  • e.g. thames valley police do not use changing perspectives, other police forces only use one or two elements
  • thus it is difficult to conclude which components are effective and increase the quality and quantity of information produced