A comparison of accuracy in old versus new memory reports across interview techniques: Which technique elicits the most accurate reports?

The present study was designed to investigate reports of old and new memories with eye-closure and mental context reinstatement interview techniques. Seventy-eight undergraduate students were asked to recall a scene from a movie that they had seen two years ago and from a movie they had seen up to one week ago. Memory reports were coded for narrative breadth details, general and specific details, and accuracy. Results indicated that in comparison to new reports, old reports contained proportionately fewer conversation details, fewer object details, and proportionately more setting/circumstance details. New reports contained proportionally more specific details than old reports. Old reports were also shown to be generally accurate overall, however, less accurate in comparison to new reports. Mental context reinstatement was helpful in enhancing accuracy for old memory reports, while no effects were found for eye-closure.