Memory- cognitive interviews

Memory- cognitive interviews

1. Geiselman and Fisher, 1992

   • Report everything
     • Trivial details may be important
     • Could trigger other memories
   • Reinstate the context
     • Return to the crime scene in their mind
     • Focus on weather, emotions etc.
   • Reverse the order
     • Ask the witness to explain what happened backwards
     • Prevents basing off of expectations
     • Prevents lying
   • Change perspective
     • Ask witness to recall event from another person's perspective
     • Disrupts expectations
   • Enhanced cognitive interview
     • Fisher, 1987
       • When to have eye contact
       • Reducing anxiety
       • Minimising distractions
       • Asking open-ended questions

2. Evaluation

   • Time consuming and expensive
   • Some elements are more useful than others
     • Recall everything and reinstate the context are more useful than others
     • These elements will be useful to add to police interviews
   • Supporting evidence for ECI
     • ECI provides more correct information than standard interviews
       • Useful for police in terms of catching criminals
   • Increase in inaccurate information
     • These elements do provide more information, but some of it is inaccurate
       • 61% increase in incorrect information compared to standard interviews