Cognitive Interview

Cognitive Interview

1. 1. Report everything

   • Witnesses are encouraged to include every single detail about the event, even if it may seem irrelevant.
   • Trivial details may be important and may trigger other important memories.

2. 2. Reinstate context

   • Witnesses should return to the original crime scene in their mind and imagine the environment and their emotions.

3. 3. Reverse the order

   • Events should be recalled in a different chronological order to the original sequence.
   • This prevents people reporting their expectations of how the event must have happened rather than the actual events and prevents dishonesty.

4. 4. Change perspective

   • Witnesses should recall the incident from other people's perspectives. This is done to disrupt the effect of expectations and schema on recall.