Seeing the Scene Again: Diagramming and Spatial Memory in Interviews

One of the primary reasons we conduct investigative interviews is to uncover the details of an incident or event. The primary tool we use to accomplish this is the narrative interview. While narrative recall allows us to gather a substantial amount of information, it is not uncommon for details to be missed due to the way the brain reconstructs memory. Diagramming introduces a different recall process, forcing the brain to utilize alternate memory systems. In doing so, it often reveals details that were not accessed during the narrative interview.

How Narrative Memory Is Reconstructed

When an individual is asked to recall an event, such as going out to eat at a restaurant, the brain relies heavily on schemas and memory traces. Schemas are familiar mental frameworks that represent how events are typically experienced and organized. These schemas contain structural “gaps” that the brain attempts to fill with stored information. Memory traces are fragments of previously encoded information that are activated to fill those gaps.

For example, the schema for dining at a restaurant might include driving to the location, being seated, ordering food, eating, paying, and leaving. Memory traces are then accessed to populate each part of that sequence. This is how story-driven, narrative recall is typically reconstructed. The brain moves chronologically through the event, prioritizing information that fits within the expected structure of the story.

Details that are not perceived as relevant to the narrative, or that do not fit neatly into a schema “gap”, are often omitted. Importantly, this does not mean those details were never encoded. Rather, there may be no clear retrieval pathway leading back to them during narrative recall. Because each individual’s perception of what is relevant differs, the type and extent of omitted details can vary widely.

Diagramming and Place Cells

When an interviewee is asked to create a sketch or diagram of an area, such as a top-down map of a location, the brain shifts from narrative reconstruction to spatial reconstruction. Instead of relying on schemas to guide recall, the brain begins reconstructing the physical relationships between objects and locations within the environment. This process is primarily associated with the hippocampus.

Within the hippocampus are specialized neurons known as place cells. These cells function as reference points within a mental map, allowing the brain to reconstruct a physical space in three dimensions. As this spatial model is rebuilt, memory fragments associated with objects, people, and movements within that space become more accessible. Recall is no longer driven by story flow, but by how each element in the environment relates to the others.

This type of reconstruction activates different sensory and memory systems than narrative recall alone. As a result, additional details often emerge, not only about the physical layout but also about actions, conversations, or individuals who were present but initially deemed irrelevant to the story. These details surface because they are embedded within the spatial context rather than the narrative sequence.

Using Diagramming

Although diagramming was not originally part of the Cognitive Interview, it has been incorporated into many Cognitive Interviewing strategies over time. I personally attempt to use diagramming in every interview. First, because it consistently elicits details that might otherwise be missed during narrative recall. Second, because it provides space for both the interviewee and the interviewer to think.

We have all experienced moments where an interviewee finishes answering a question and the room goes quiet while we try to think of the next question. This is rarely productive. When I find myself in that position, I ask the interviewee to create a diagram and explain what they are drawing as they go. This encourages continued recall, activates additional memory traces, and allows me time to reassess the interview without introducing awkward silence or pressure.

In Closing

There are many tools available to investigative interviewers, and diagramming is one of them. It is grounded in established research and supported by our understanding of how memory is reconstructed. Used appropriately, it can enhance recall, improve detail collection, and support a rapport-based interviewing approach. As investigators, we should continue to refine our methods, expand our understanding, and strive to be more effective in how we gather information.

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References

Jason Adams, CFI

Jason Adams, CFI, is an instructor with Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, Inc. (WZ). Jason has accumulated over 20 years of investigative experience. During his military tenure, Jason planned, conducted, and supervised strategic and tactical-level counterespionage and counter-terrorism investigations and operations worldwide. His experience has included joint investigations with the Federal Bureau of Investigations, US national-level intelligence agencies, local law enforcement agencies, as well as intelligence and law enforcement agencies around the world.

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