The Cognitive Interview

The Cognitive Interview

1. 1. Report Everything

   • Encouraged to include every single detail
     • Simple details may be important and may trigger more memories

2. 2. Reinstate the context

   • Return to the original context 'in their mind'
     • Context-dependant forgetting

3. 3. Reverse the order

   • Events should be recalled in a different chronological order to the original sequence
     • Prevents people reporting their expectations of how the event must have happened

4. 4. Change perspective

   • Witnesses recall the incident from someone elses perspective
     • Done to disrupt the effect of expectations and schema on recall

5. Enhanced cognitive interview

   • Interviewer needs to know when to make eye contact
   • Open-ended questions
   • Reduces eyewitness anxiety