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Cognitive Interview (CI)
A technique designed to enhance the retrieval of information from a witness's memory by assisting the interviewer and focusing on the witness's mental representation of events.
Memory Retrieval Process
The act of recovering information from memory, critical for interviewing to minimize errors and contamination.
Memory Structure
The organization of memory information into perception, storage, and recall.
Factors Influencing Perception
Event and witness factors that affect how an event is perceived and recalled by a witness.
Post-event Information
External information encountered after an event that can alter a witness's memory of the event.
Flashbulb Memories
Vivid but potentially inaccurate memories of significant emotional events.
Error in Recall
Mistakes made during the retrieval process that can change future perceptions.
Mental Representations
Internal cognitive images or frameworks that individuals generate to interpret events.
Witness Compatible Questioning
Tailoring interview questions based on the unique knowledge and experiences of the witness.
Focused Concentration
A technique in cognitive interviews that encourages witnesses to concentrate intently to recall detailed information.
Context Reinstatement
A technique that prompts witnesses to mentally recreate the environment and context of the event to aid recall.
Varied Retrieval Order
Changing the order of questions to disrupt memory rehearsal, helping witnesses recall additional details.
Memory Network
A system in which memories are interconnected with contextual clues such as smells, sounds, and emotions.
Confidence vs. Accuracy
The misconception that a witness's confidence in a memory is directly correlated with its accuracy.
Witness Limitations
Factors such as anxiety or stress that can impair a witness's ability to recall details accurately.
Enhanced Cognitive Interview (ECI)
An improved version of the cognitive interview that elicits more accurate details compared to standard police interviews.
Weapon Focus Effect
The phenomenon where the presence of a weapon distracts witnesses from accurately recalling details of the event.
Schema
A cognitive framework or outline that helps organize and interpret information; used in memory recall.
Event Factors
A(amount of time event was observed) D(distance between witness and observed event) V(visibility) O(obstructions) K(known or seen before, frequency) A(anything unique, salience) T(time between perceiving and recalling) E(errors in recall or discrepancies)
Witness Factors
Stress-High and low problematic, weapon focus effect Expectations-Remember what “should be”, stereotypes and past experiences, scripts/schemas.
Principles of Cognition
Limited mental resources- interviewer and interviewee, work smart and not exhaust yourself or the witness. Mental representation of events- individualistic interpretations (everyone “sees” events differently). Levels of precision- general, intermediate, detailed.
