Hypnotic interviewing: the best way to interview eyewitnesses?

Area of Science:

• Forensic Psychology
• Cognitive Psychology
• Eyewitness Memory Research

Background:

• Hypnosis is proposed to enhance eyewitness memory in forensic settings.
• Laboratory studies indicate hypnosis can increase recall but also decrease accuracy and heighten suggestibility.
• These memory distortions limit hypnosis's utility in interviews.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of hypnosis versus alternative methods for enhancing eyewitness memory.
• To compare the potential for memory distortion between hypnosis and the cognitive interview.
• To determine the optimal interviewing procedure for forensic investigations.

Main Methods:

• Review of laboratory research on hypnosis and eyewitness memory.
• Analysis of factors contributing to memory enhancement in practical investigations involving hypnosis.
• Comparison of hypnosis with the cognitive interview procedure.

Main Results:

• Hypnosis techniques often lead to reduced accuracy and increased susceptibility to misinformation.
• Factors beyond hypnotic induction, such as interviewer skill, may contribute to perceived memory enhancement.
• The cognitive interview demonstrates potential for significant recall enhancement (approx. 35%) without memory distortion.

Conclusions:

• Hypnosis presents significant risks of memory distortion and reduced accuracy for eyewitness accounts.
• The cognitive interview offers a more reliable method for enhancing eyewitness recall in forensic investigations.
• The cognitive interview should be prioritized over hypnosis for practical investigative purposes.