Improving the eyewitness testimony:cognitive interview -A-Level Psychology
CI-a method of interviewing eyewitnesses to help them retrieve more accurate memories
The cognitive interview:
1.Report everything-witnesses are encouraged to include every single detail.Trivial details may trigger other important memories
2.Reinstate the context-visually the witness’s should return to the original crime scene and imagine the environment and their emotions(context dependent forgetting)
3.Reverse the order-events should be recalled in non -chronological order to prevent people from reporting their expectations of the event rather than the actual event and it also prevents dishonesty.
4.Change perspective-witness should recall the event from other people’s perspective.This is done to disrupt the effect of expectations and schema on recall
ECI-focuses on when to use eye contact and when to not,asking open ended questions,reducing anxiety,minimising distractions
Evaluation:
Time consuming-takes more time than a standard police interview so police may be more reluctant and it also requires specialist training.
Support for the effectiveness of the ECI-Kohnken et al combined data from 50 studies(meta analysis).The ECI consistently provided more correct information than the standard police interview.This shows that there are real practical benefits to the police ,it gives police more accurate information to catch and charge criminals.
Eyewitness testimony is the evidence given by an individual who has witnessed a crime or an event and provides their account of what they saw or heard.
Eyewitness testimony can be crucial in criminal cases, as it can provide valuable evidence that can help to identify suspects and lead to their conviction.
The cognitive interview technique is a method used to improve the accuracy and completeness of eyewitness testimony. It involves asking open-ended questions, using mental imagery, and encouraging the witness to recall as much detail as possible.
The cognitive interview technique helps to improve eyewitness testimony by encouraging witnesses to recall more details, reducing the impact of leading questions, and reducing the effects of anxiety and stress on memory.
The main components of the cognitive interview technique include asking open-ended questions, using mental imagery, encouraging the witness to recall as much detail as possible, and allowing the witness to report information in their own order.
Yes, the cognitive interview technique can be used with children, although it may need to be adapted to suit their age and developmental level.
Some criticisms of the cognitive interview technique include that it can be time-consuming, may not be suitable for all witnesses, and may lead to the retrieval of inaccurate information.
A-Level Psychology students can use their knowledge of the cognitive interview technique to understand the factors that can influence eyewitness testimony, the benefits and limitations of the cognitive interview technique, and how it can be used to improve the accuracy of eyewitness testimony in real-life situations. They can also use this knowledge to evaluate research studies on eyewitness testimony and the cognitive interview technique.
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