Memory Under Fire: The Role of the Self-Administered Interview (SAI) in Law Enforcement and Eyewitness Memory

The relationship between stress and memory remains complex and inconsistent across research domains. While basic memory research suggests that overall, stress enhances memory (Shields et al., 2017), eyewitness memory studies often report detrimental (Deffenbacher et al., 2004) or null effects (Krix et al., 2016). Memory accuracy may also be impacted by the type of interview protocol used. The Self-Administered Interview (SAI) elicits more details than free recall (Gabbert et al., 2009), making it a promising tool for investigative settings. In Study I, a conceptual replication of Krix et al. (2016), student participants completed a stress-inducing task, witnessed a mock crime, and were randomly assigned to either an SAI or free recall interview. A 2 (stress vs. control) × 2 (SAI vs. free recall) ANOVA revealed only that the SAI elicited more event details. Stress had no main or interactive effect with interview type on memory. Study II exposed a sample of law enforcement officers to a virtual reality active shooting scenario, where stress was measured afterward. Officers were randomly assigned to an immediate SAI or free recall interview, and subsequently, all were asked to complete a follow-up interview. Independent samples t-tests revealed that the SAI again elicited more correct event details in the initial interview, but no effects on other details. Correlational analyses revealed that stress initially increased the likelihood of incorrect details being reported and reduced accuracy, but did not interact with the type of interview. At follow-up, the SAI produced more incorrect perpetrator details, and stress reduced overall accuracy and the number of correct details. Notably, stress moderated the effectiveness of the SAI such that it was more effective under low stress but less so as stress increased. These findings suggest that while the SAI can enhance recall, its effectiveness may diminish under high-stress conditions, particularly after a delay.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Criminal Justice

Grantor

Texas State University

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Quinby, Elizabeth

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Jones, Angela Marie

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Brimbal, Laure
• Martaindale, Hunter
• Gabbert, Fiona

• eyewitness memory
• self-administered interview

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10877/23106

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digital.library.txst.edu:10877/23106