Using Virtual Reality (VR) to Facilitate Context Reinstatement in Eyewitness Interviewing: Effects on Memory Performance and Retrieval Experience

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Abstract

Using Virtual Reality to recreate environmental cues present during encoding to generate virtual context reinstatement (VCR) may be a promising tool to enhance eyewitness memory. However, VCR’s effectiveness relative to mental (MCR) and physical (PCR) context reinstatement remains unclear, as do mechanisms underlying its potential effects. The present study employed a between-participants experimental design to compare the effectiveness of VCR with PCR and MCR for supporting eyewitness recall while examining the role of cognitive load, stress, rapport, and neurodiversity in retrieval across reinstatement methods. Participants (N = 52) directly observed a mock crime and completed a delayed recall task (2-7 days) under one of three reinstatement conditions (MCR, PCR, VCR). Results provided preliminary evidence that VCR is as effective as traditional methods. Cognitive load was negatively associated with correct recall, suggesting retrieval demands play an important role in eyewitness recall irrespective of reinstatement modality. Qualitative findings further suggested that retrieval success depends on active engagement with reinstatement cues and the management of cognitive demands during recall, including attentional control and retrieval monitoring. Together, these findings provide preliminary support for VCR as a suitable alternative when PCR is not feasible and emphasizes the role of cognitive load in eyewitness memory retrieval.

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