Cognitive Interviews

• • One of the four main steps to the cognitive interview is reinstating the context, which is where a witness should recall cues from the environment. 
  • Witnesses should start the interview by being allowed to recall what happened in their own words without interruption.  
  • Police should ask witnesses to recall the crime in a different order, such as from the end to the start.  

  The interviewer should ask witnesses to recall the event from different viewpoints, such as another witnesses’/the victim’s perspective.
• • Geiselman et al (1985) found that the cognitive interview led to more correct information being recalled compared to standard interviews. → more accurate recall 
  • Holliday (2003) found cognitive interviews were more useful than standard interviews when interviewing children.  
  • However, Geiselman et al (1985) also found the cognitive interview led to slightly more incorrect items being recalled.  
  • Fisher (1999) found cognitive interviews led to 46% more details recalled and is 90% more accurate than police interviews
• • Cognitive interviews are more in depth and detailed than standard interviews as they can include more broad open-ended questions which give a more valid recall of events . 
  • Witnesses recall incidents from a variety of perspectives before being asked direct questions which reduces bias in questioning so increases reliability of information recalled
  • Cognitive interviews need trained interviewers which increases the expense so they are only used for serious crimes.
• 1. Reinstate the context - recall specific cues & details from the environment. method of context dependent recall
  2. Recall & Report everything - recall without interruption as it might trigger useful memory
  3. Recall in reverse order - start from the end of the event to avoid schemas or prior knowledge affecting recall
  4. Change Perspective - someone else's point of view