Discuss the Cognitive interview

• AO1 - Cognetive interview


  The cognitive interview uses specific techniques in order to improve the memory and recall of eyewitnesses usualy after a crime takes place.
• AO1 - Cognetive interview - 1

  The first step of the interview is to report everything, where the witness is asked to report every detail of the event, they they can recall even if it does not seem significant at the time as this may help to recall further information. 
• AO1 - Cognetive interview - 2

  The second step is to reinstate the context and usualy involves returning the witness to the origional scene in their mind and recall details about the enviroments such as what the weather was like and about how they were feeling at the time, which could provide cues for context or state dependant forgetting and so improving the recall. 
• AO1 - Cognetive interview - 3

  The third step is to reverse the order of events by asking the witness to recall the event from the end to the beginning or just out of order in any way. This may help the witness to recall without relying of schemas or expectations which could contaminate the accuracy of the memories. 
• AO1 - Cognetive interview - 4

  The last step of the cognitive interview is to change the perspective by asking them to imagine the event as if they were someone else at the scene such as another witness. 
• AO3 - Led to the development of new techniques 

  E:  ECI amended version of the cognitive interview to focus on the social dynamics of the interaction. It seeks to build a trusting relationship (rapport)

  E:  Modified cognitive interview (MCI) which has been very successful especially in children. Are egocentric up to the age of 7 - changing perception step.

  Holliday (2003) found that children aged 4-5 provided more accurate testimony than a standard interview. 

  L: Can be developed for enhancing the recall of different types of participants. 
• AO3 - time consuming.

  E:  Establishing a rapport with the eyewitness takes time. 

  E:  Time sensitive cases where accurate recall is nessisary, police reluctant to use CI find information faster a different way. 

  L: And so, the interview is no longer effective if it is not being used by the police to obtain accurate eyewitness testimony. E: In addition, the cognitive interview also requires special training and many forces have not been able to provide more than a few hours for. And so it can be expensive and unpractical to rely on this technique. 
• AO3 - research support

  E:  Kohnken et al (1999) conducted a meta-analysis of 50 studies found 81% increase in amount of correct information compared to police interviews, when using the cognitive interview. 

  E: Which supports the idea that it is effective at increasing accuracy of eyewitness testimony. CA: However, there is also a 61% increase in incorrect information, which brings into question the appropriateness of the technique as the cost benefit between accurate and inaccurate information must be considered. 
• AO3 - less influence of leading questions. 

  E:  The use of report everything means that the interview is led by the eyewitness and not the interviewer. E:  This is important as research such as Loftus and Palmer show that certain words in questions can alter a person’s recall. Having leading questions may affect how an individual decides to answer, response bias, and can distort an original memory. 

  L: Therefore, the use of this technique in police forces can ensure that recall is accurate and leads to less miscarriages of justice.