CFI Cognitive Interview Methods & Memory Enhancement Flashcards
6 cards from real CFI practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 CFI Cognitive Interview Methods & Memory Enhancement flashcards as text
The 'misinformation effect' documented by Elizabeth Loftus demonstrates that:
Answer: Post-event misleading information can alter a witness's original memory report
Loftus's research showed that exposure to misleading post-event information (e.g., a leading question) can cause witnesses to incorporate that information into their memory reports.
What is the recommended approach when a witness provides a statement that contradicts physical evidence in a forensic interview?
Answer: Document the contradiction and explore it through open, non-accusatory follow-up questions
Contradictions between witness statements and evidence should be explored through open, neutral follow-up questions to allow the witness to clarify without pressure-induced distortion.
Which memory phenomenon explains why witnesses often focus on a perpetrator's weapon rather than facial features?
Answer: Weapon focus effect
The weapon focus effect occurs when the presence of a weapon draws a witness's attention away from the perpetrator's face, reducing the accuracy of facial identification.
In a forensic interview, 'active listening' techniques serve primarily to:
Answer: Encourage continued disclosure by demonstrating understanding without directing content
Active listening (e.g., reflective statements, minimal encouragers) signals to the witness that their account is valued, encouraging fuller disclosure without introducing new information.
Which phenomenon describes the tendency for memory of an event to fade or become less detailed over time?
Answer: Memory decay (trace decay theory)
Memory decay refers to the natural fading of memory traces over time, which is why early forensic interviews generally yield more complete and accurate accounts.
A CFI should avoid 'closed-ended' questions in the free-recall phase of an interview primarily because:
Answer: They limit the witness's response and may suggest details not in the witness's memory
Closed-ended questions constrain the witness's narrative and can imply answer choices that may not reflect the witness's actual memory, contaminating the account.