Interviewing witnesses: Eliciting coarse-grain information

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Forensic Psychology
• Eyewitness Testimony

Background:

• Eyewitnesses frequently recall fine-grain details inaccurately while omitting accessible coarse-grain information.
• Current forensic interviewing techniques primarily focus on open-ended recall, potentially missing broader contextual details.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate methods for improving the reporting of coarse-grain details by eyewitnesses.
• To compare the effectiveness of different interview procedures, including cued recall forced reporting, in eliciting coarse-grain information.

Main Methods:

• Three experiments (N=219) involved college students and community members viewing a simulated crime video.
• Participants were interviewed using open-ended methods (Self-Administered Interview, "report everything") or cued recall forced reporting conditions.
• Both written and verbal interview formats were tested across different stimuli.

Main Results:

• Coarse-grain reporting was minimal under standard free recall conditions.
• Cued recall forced reporting significantly increased the quantity of coarse-grain details provided.
• Accuracy was maintained for coarse-grain details reported under cued recall conditions compared to free recall.

Conclusions:

• Cued recall forced reporting effectively enhances the retrieval of coarse-grain eyewitness details.
• This procedure can be a valuable adjunct to existing open-ended forensic interviewing techniques.
• Investigative settings may benefit from incorporating forced reporting of coarse-grain details to improve information gathering.