Say it out loud: Does mental context reinstatement out loud benefit immediate and delayed memory recall?

Abstract

Mental context reinstatement (MCR) is a key part of the cognitive interview. However, police face challenges delivering MCR in real-life situations. Over the years, modifications have been made to make MCR more user-friendly for officers and ensure witness engagement. The current study evaluates the impact of vocalizing MCR generations aloud on mock-witness's immediate and delayed recollections. Participants watched a staged multiple-car collision and were interviewed about it the next day. Half verbalized mental images aloud (aMCR), while the other half kept them silent in their minds (cMCR). After a week, participants took part in a delayed recall attempt. No significant differences in immediate recall performance were found. During the delayed recall, participants who engaged in aMCR previously recalled significantly more and more correct details than those who received cMCR. aMCR might lead to more coherent representations in working memory, resulting in improved consolidation and better future recall.