Cognitive Interviewing

Memory

Memory functions in three phases: encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding is the creation of the memory. Storage is the maintenance of the memory. Retrieval is the recalling of the memory. The encoding and storage phases are largely out of the hands of the interviewer. Therefore, the cognitive interview focuses on guiding the retrieval process of the eyewitness. Because the mind is capable of storing billions of pieces of information, retrieval of memories can be a difficult task. A failed attempt at retrieval does not necessarily mean that the eyewitness does not possess the information. The eyewitness may have the appropriate information but have simply failed to find it amongst all of the other billions of bits of information. Three key concepts are used to facilitate retrieval during the cognitive interview. The first is focused concentration. By concentrating on the crime and eliminating distractions, eyewitnesses will be able to recall more information than if they did not concentrate. The second is context recreation. Recreating the general events surrounding the crime activates the part of the eyewitnesses'memories that are relevant to the crime and improves the chances that the eyewitnesses will be able to locate relevant information. The third concept is multiple retrieval attempts. Research has shown that people who make more attempts to retrieve information are more successful than those who make fewer attempts at retrieval. The structure of the cognitive interview is designed to make use of all of these concepts.

Structure of the Interview

There are five sections to the interview: the introduction, the open-ended narration, probing memory codes, reviewing, and closing. The introduction is designed to prepare the eyewitness to give detailed information about a crime. During the introduction, the interviewer must control the eyewitness's anxiety, develop rapport, and set the guidelines for the interview. Most eyewitnesses will experience anxiety during the cognitive interview. Anxiety must be controlled because it interferes with people's ability to accurately recall information. The interviewer will usually attempt to control anxiety by telling the eyewitness that is it natural to be afraid and that most people to whom the interviewer talks are afraid. It is also necessary to develop rapport with the eyewitness at the beginning of the interview in order to maximize the amount of information that the eyewitness will recall and share with the interviewer. This is often accomplished by sharing biographical information that the interviewer and eyewitness have in common or expressing empathy for what the eyewitness went through. The interviewer should also give the eyewitness the following guidelines. Because the eyewitness has the important information about the crime, the eyewitness should take an active role in the interview and do most of the talking. It is common for the eyewitness to be deferential to the interviewer because of his or her authority and expertise. Therefore, it is necessary for the interviewer to explicitly tell the eyewitness that he or she has the important information, should play an active role in the interview, and should do most of the talking.

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