Beatrice witnessed a high-value theft at a busy, brightly lit indoor food market during a crowded lunchtime. She was sitting at a nearby table when she heard a sudden, loud crash of a tray of drinks being dropped, followed by shouting, which distracted a vendor. During the distraction, an accomplice snatched a metal cash box from behind the counter. Beatrice reported feeling extremely anxious during the incident and was wearing her reading glasses at the time. The police plan to use a cognitive interview to obtain detailed evidence from Beatrice.
To what extent would the cognitive interview be effective in gathering accurate information from Beatrice about the crime she witnessed? You must make reference to the context in your answer.
Practise Edexcel A Level Psychology Content with exam-style questions for A Level Psychology. 1,059 questions covering Biological explanations of crime, Social explanations of crime, Cognitive and ethical interview techniques, Psychological formulation of offending, Cognitive-behavioural treatment for offenders, Biological treatment for offenders, Factors influencing eye-witness testimony, Factors influencing jury decision-making, Individual differences, and Developmental psychology, matched to the Edexcel A Level Psychology (9PS0) specification and written in Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3 style. Every question includes a full worked solution and mark scheme, so you can see where marks are awarded rather than just whether you got the answer right.
