The Cognitive Interview
Cognitive interview technique: Fisher & Geiselman (1992)
Report everything:
Reinstate the context:
Change perspective:
Reverse the order:
The enhanced cognitive interview (ECI): Fisher (1987)
Evaluation:
Theory: Fisher & Geiselman
Argued that EWT can be improved if better techniques were used when interviewing after the event
Techniques based on cognitive psychology, theories of remembering and forgetting
Encouraged to report everything even if it seems irrelevant
Trivial details may be important + trigger other memories
Return to the original crime scene/environment in their mind + emotions they felt (related to context dependent forgetting)
Events should be recalled in a different order from the original sequence
Must be done to prevent people reporting their expectations of how the event happened (prevents dishonesty)
Witnesses must recall the incident from other peoples perspective
Done to disrupt the effect of expectations and schema on recall
When to establish eye contact and when to relinquish it
Reducing anxiety, distractions, ask open end questions, slow speaking
W - CI is time consuming:
S - Variations of CI:
S - Milne + Bull (2002):
W - Kohnken et al:
All four techniques used alone produced more info than the standard police interview
Combination of report everything and reinstate context produced better recall than any of the other elements or combinations of them
Police have taken a 'pick and mix' approach - It is more flexible allowing individuals to develop their own approach finding what's best for them
Requires special training
More time required to establish rapport, allows a witness to relax
Found an increase in the amount of inaccurate info recalled by participants
Cognitive interviews may sacrifice quality in favour of quantity - evidence should be treated with caution