The Cognitive Interview

The cognitive interview (CI) was developed by Fisher and Geiselman (1992) as an improved technique for interviewing eyewitnesses. It was designed to increase the accuracy and amount of information recalled by witnesses, based on psychological research into how memory works.

---

Why Was the Cognitive Interview Developed?

Traditional police interviews often involved:

• Closed questions that limited the witness's responses
• Leading questions that could distort memories (as shown by Loftus and Palmer)
• Interruptions that broke the witness's concentration
• A focus on getting a specific narrative rather than allowing the witness to recall freely

These practices could reduce the accuracy and completeness of witness statements. The cognitive interview was designed to address these problems by using techniques grounded in psychological research on memory.

---

The Four Techniques of the Cognitive Interview

The CI consists of four main techniques:

1. Mental Reinstatement of Context

The witness is asked to mentally recreate the context of the original event — the environment, their emotional state, and what they were thinking and feeling at the time.