9. Improving Accuracy of EWT - Cognitive Interview

• 1. Improving Accuracy of EWT - Cognitive Interview

  Fisher + Geiselman (1992):

  • Remember things if provide retrieval cues.
  • 4 components to cognitive interview.
  • Developed these bc inaccuracies in police interviews.
• 1a. Improving Accuracy of EWT - Cognitive Interview

  Reinstate Context:

  • Encourages interviewee mentally recreate physical/psychological environment.
  • Memories become accessible.
  • Use context + emotional cues.
• 1b. Improving Accuracy of EWT - Cognitive Interview

  Report Everything:

  • Report every detail of event, even irrelevant.
  • Memories interconnected = recollection of one item can cue others.
• 1c. Improving Accuracy of EWT - Cognitive Interview

  Reverse the Order:

  • Alternate/reverse timeline.
  • Recollections influenced by schemas; reversing prevents pre-existing schema influencing recall.
• 1d. Improving Accuracy of EWT - Cognitive Interview

  Change Perspective:

  • Recall from multiple perspectives.
  • Imagine other EW perspectives.
  • Disrupts effect of schemas.
• 2. Improving Accuracy of EWT - Cognitive Interview

  Enhanced Cognitive Interview (ECI):

  • Fisher + Geiselman, amended version of cognitive interview - build trusting relationship between interviewer + witness.
  • No distractions.
  • Witness controls flow info.
  • Open questions.
  • Slow speech.
  • No guessing.
  • Reduce anxiety.
• Improving Accuracy of EWT - Cognitive Interview (Evaluation)

  Strength:

  P - evidence cognitive interview works.

  E - meta-analysis by Kohnken (1999), data from 55 studies comparing cognitive interview w/ standard police interview.

  E - cognitive interview, 41% increase in accurate info compared to standard interview.

  L - cognitive interview effective technique helping witnesses recall temporarily inaccessible info.
• Improving Accuracy of EWT - Cognitive Interview (Evaluation)

  Limitation:

  P - Kohnken also found increase in inaccurate info recalled.

  E - particular issue in ECI, produced more incorrect details than CI.

  E - CI sacrifices quality/accuracy EWT for quantity.

  L - police should treat evidence from CI/ECI w/ caution.
• Improving Accuracy of EWT - Cognitive Interview (Evaluation)

  Limitation:

  P - not all elements CI equally effective.

  E - found that each technique alone produced more info than standard police interview.

  E - also found using combination of report everything + reinstate context = better recall than other elements or combination of all.

  L - doubt over credibility of CI.
• Improving Accuracy of EWT - Cognitive Interview (Evaluation)

  Limitation:

  P - police may be reluctant to use CI bc takes more time/training.

  E - more time taken to establish relationship w/ witness.

  E - needs special training, lack resources.

  L - complete CI not realistic method for police officers to use.