Recall, verbatim memory and remembered narratives

James Ost; Tim Grant; Gary Pankhurst; Alan Scoboria

doi:10.1002/9781118769133.ch3

Recall, verbatim memory and remembered narratives

James Ost, Tim Grant, Gary Pankhurst, Alan Scoboria

Aston Institute for Forensic Linguistics

Research output: Chapter in Book/Published conference output › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

4 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Memory is central to investigative interviews with witnesses and suspects, yet decades of research have shown that remembering is subject to constructive and reconstructive processes that can adversely impact the reliability of accounts that are elicited at interview. In this chapter we first outline research concerning our memory for events (‘episodic memory’) before moving on to discuss the ways in which our attempts to validate and communicate those memories can bias what is eventually reported. We then focus on some of the implications this can have for investigative interviews, specifically the problem of ‘skill fade’ in interviewing, the impact of implicit beliefs about memory and issues surrounding the reliability of recollections of direct speech. We conclude that appropriately structuring the retrieval context is the key to achieving best memory evidence.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Communication in investigative and legal contexts
Subtitle of host publication	integrated approaches from forensic psychology, linguistics and law enforcement
Editors	Gavin Oxburgh, Trond Myklebust, Tim Grant, Rebecca Milne
Publisher	Wiley-Blackwell
Pages	39–54
Number of pages	16
ISBN (Electronic)	978-1-118-76913-3
ISBN (Print)	978-1-118-76923-2, 978-1-118-76922-5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118769133.ch3
Publication status	Published - Dec 2015

Publication series

Name	Series in psychology of crime, policing and law
Publisher	Wiley

Keywords

memory
retrieval
interviewing
validation
communication
direct speech

Access to Document

10.1002/9781118769133.ch3

4 Citations
3 Chapter (peer-reviewed)
1 Edited Book
1 Chapter

Communication in forensic contexts: future directions and conclusions
Myklebust, T., Grant, T., Milne, R. & Oxburgh, G. E., Nov 2015, Communication in investigative and legal settings: integrated approaches from forensic psychology, linguistics and law enforcement. Oxburgh, G., Myklebust, T., Grant, T. & Milne, R. (eds.). Wiley-Blackwell, p. 359-366 8 p. (Series in the Psychology of Crime, Policing and Law).
Research output: Chapter in Book/Published conference output › Chapter
1 Citation (Scopus)
Communication in investigative and legal contexts: Integrated approaches from forensic psychology, linguistics and law enforcement
Oxburgh, G. E. (Editor), Myklebust, T. (Editor), Grant, T. (Editor) & Milne, R. (Editor), Nov 2015, Wiley-Blackwell. 408 p. (Wiley series in the Psychology of Crime, Policing and Law)
Research output: Book/Report › Edited Book
10 Citations (Scopus)
Communication in investigative and legal settings: introduction and contexts
Oxburgh, G., Myklebust, T., Grant, T. & Milne, R., Dec 2015, Communication in investigative and legal contexts: integrated approaches from forensic psychology, linguistics and law enforcement. Oxburgh, G., Myklebust, T., Grant, T. & Milne, R. (eds.). Wiley-Blackwell, p. 1-13 13 p. (Series in psychology of crime, policing and law).
Research output: Chapter in Book/Published conference output › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review
6 Citations (Scopus)

Cite this

Ost, J., Grant, T., Pankhurst, G., & Scoboria, A. (2015). Recall, verbatim memory and remembered narratives. In G. Oxburgh, T. Myklebust, T. Grant, & R. Milne (Eds.), Communication in investigative and legal contexts: integrated approaches from forensic psychology, linguistics and law enforcement (pp. 39–54). (Series in psychology of crime, policing and law). Wiley-Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118769133.ch3

Ost, James ; Grant, Tim ; Pankhurst, Gary et al. / Recall, verbatim memory and remembered narratives. Communication in investigative and legal contexts: integrated approaches from forensic psychology, linguistics and law enforcement. editor / Gavin Oxburgh ; Trond Myklebust ; Tim Grant ; Rebecca Milne. Wiley-Blackwell, 2015. pp. 39–54 (Series in psychology of crime, policing and law).

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abstract = "Memory is central to investigative interviews with witnesses and suspects, yet decades of research have shown that remembering is subject to constructive and reconstructive processes that can adversely impact the reliability of accounts that are elicited at interview. In this chapter we first outline research concerning our memory for events ({\textquoteleft}episodic memory{\textquoteright}) before moving on to discuss the ways in which our attempts to validate and communicate those memories can bias what is eventually reported. We then focus on some of the implications this can have for investigative interviews, specifically the problem of {\textquoteleft}skill fade{\textquoteright} in interviewing, the impact of implicit beliefs about memory and issues surrounding the reliability of recollections of direct speech. We conclude that appropriately structuring the retrieval context is the key to achieving best memory evidence.",

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Ost, J, Grant, T, Pankhurst, G & Scoboria, A 2015, Recall, verbatim memory and remembered narratives. in G Oxburgh, T Myklebust, T Grant & R Milne (eds), Communication in investigative and legal contexts: integrated approaches from forensic psychology, linguistics and law enforcement. Series in psychology of crime, policing and law, Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 39–54. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118769133.ch3

Recall, verbatim memory and remembered narratives. / Ost, James; Grant, Tim; Pankhurst, Gary et al.
Communication in investigative and legal contexts: integrated approaches from forensic psychology, linguistics and law enforcement. ed. / Gavin Oxburgh; Trond Myklebust; Tim Grant; Rebecca Milne. Wiley-Blackwell, 2015. p. 39–54 (Series in psychology of crime, policing and law).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Published conference output › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

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AU - Grant, Tim

AU - Pankhurst, Gary

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N2 - Memory is central to investigative interviews with witnesses and suspects, yet decades of research have shown that remembering is subject to constructive and reconstructive processes that can adversely impact the reliability of accounts that are elicited at interview. In this chapter we first outline research concerning our memory for events (‘episodic memory’) before moving on to discuss the ways in which our attempts to validate and communicate those memories can bias what is eventually reported. We then focus on some of the implications this can have for investigative interviews, specifically the problem of ‘skill fade’ in interviewing, the impact of implicit beliefs about memory and issues surrounding the reliability of recollections of direct speech. We conclude that appropriately structuring the retrieval context is the key to achieving best memory evidence.

AB - Memory is central to investigative interviews with witnesses and suspects, yet decades of research have shown that remembering is subject to constructive and reconstructive processes that can adversely impact the reliability of accounts that are elicited at interview. In this chapter we first outline research concerning our memory for events (‘episodic memory’) before moving on to discuss the ways in which our attempts to validate and communicate those memories can bias what is eventually reported. We then focus on some of the implications this can have for investigative interviews, specifically the problem of ‘skill fade’ in interviewing, the impact of implicit beliefs about memory and issues surrounding the reliability of recollections of direct speech. We conclude that appropriately structuring the retrieval context is the key to achieving best memory evidence.

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KW - communication

KW - direct speech

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DO - 10.1002/9781118769133.ch3

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Ost J, Grant T, Pankhurst G, Scoboria A. Recall, verbatim memory and remembered narratives. In Oxburgh G, Myklebust T, Grant T, Milne R, editors, Communication in investigative and legal contexts: integrated approaches from forensic psychology, linguistics and law enforcement. Wiley-Blackwell. 2015. p. 39–54. (Series in psychology of crime, policing and law). Epub 2015 Oct 2. doi: 10.1002/9781118769133.ch3

Recall, verbatim memory and remembered narratives

Abstract

Publication series

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Research output

Communication in forensic contexts: future directions and conclusions

Communication in investigative and legal contexts: Integrated approaches from forensic psychology, linguistics and law enforcement

Communication in investigative and legal settings: introduction and contexts

Cite this