cognitive interviews

• The Cognitive Interview (CI) is a structured method of interviewing eyewitnesses aimed at enhancing the accuracy of their recall. The CI considers various psychological theories, particularly those related to memory retrieval, to improve the reliability of eyewitness testimonies.
• • Report Everything:

  Eyewitnesses are encouraged to report all details of the event, no matter how trivial they may seem. This approach is based on the principle that even minor details can act as cues, potentially triggering the recall of more significant information, thereby reducing retrieval failure.
• • Reinstate the Context:

  Eyewitnesses mentally recreate the environment and context of the incident, including weather conditions, location, and their emotional state. This step aims to prevent context-dependent forgetting by reactivating the external cues present during the encoding of the memory.
• • Change the Perspective:

  Eyewitnesses describe the event from different viewpoints, such as that of other witnesses or the perpetrator. This technique helps in minimising the influence of the eyewitness’s own schemas and preconceived notions, thereby providing a more objective account of the event.
• • Reverse the Order:

  Eyewitnesses recall the event in different sequences, such as starting from the end and moving backwards. This approach helps in disrupting the narrative flow, making it harder for the witness to fabricate details and reducing the influence of schemas on their recall.
• Enhanced Cognitive Interview

  Developed by Fisher et al. (1987), the Enhanced Cognitive Interview (ECI) incorporates additional elements focusing on the social dynamics of the interaction between the interviewer and the eyewitness.
• Key aspects ECI

  • Establishing Rapport: Building a comfortable and trusting relationship with the eyewitness to facilitate open and honest communication.
  • Effective Communication: Using appropriate eye contact and minimising distractions to ensure the eyewitness feels at ease and is more likely to provide accurate information.
  • Active Listening: The interviewer pays close attention to the eyewitness's responses, encouraging them to elaborate on their answers.
• • Specialist Skills: Effective implementation of the CI requires interviewers to have specialised skills. Kebbel and Wagstaff argue that a few hours of training are insufficient, especially for mastering the enhanced social dynamics of the ECI. This limitation can lead to police forces being reluctant to adopt the CI comprehensively.
• • Research by Kohnken et al. (1999) found that while the CI increases the recall of correct information by 81%, it also increases the recall of incorrect information by 61%. This counterintuitive outcome suggests that while the CI enhances overall recall, it also raises the risk of inaccuracies.
• • Not all components of the CI need to be used to achieve benefits. Milne and Bull (2002) found that the combination of context reinstatement and report everything produced the highest accuracy in recall. This finding implies that even if police forces cannot implement the entire CI, adopting certain key components can still improve the reliability of eyewitness testimonies.