Memory recall in interviews can be influenced by prompts. What approach helps preserve accuracy?

• A. Memory can be influenced by prompting; use open-ended, non-leading questions to preserve accuracy.
• B. Leading questions guarantee accuracy.
• C. Repeating questions trains memory.
• D. Prompting memories makes them more reliable.

Answer: (A)

Prompts shape how people reconstruct and report their memories. When you ask open-ended, non-leading questions, you invite a natural, detailed account from the interviewee without steering them toward a particular detail or narrative. That helps preserve accuracy because you’re less likely to introduce new information or bias, and you can better compare what the person recalls with other sources for consistency.

Leading questions push for a specific answer by suggesting details or directions, which can contaminate memory and create false details or overconfidence. Repeating questions can confuse memory and sometimes reinforces incorrect information. Prompting memories with hints or cues doesn’t inherently make recall reliable; it can make memories feel more certain even when they’re not accurate.

So, using open-ended, non-leading questions is the best approach to maintain the integrity of memory recall during interviews.