AO3

• Research support

  P: There is research support for the effectiveness of the cognitive interview.

  E: Kohnken conducted a meta-analysis of 50 studies and found an average increase of 34% in the amount of correct information gathered in the cognitive interview compared with standard interviewing techniques. However, most of these studies were conducted in laboratory settings. 

  This is an issue because such studies may not reflect real-world practices, therefore have low (ecological validity).
• Research support (2)

  E: Therefore, although there is empirical research to suggest the cognitive interview is more effective than standard interviewing techniques, the research has been criticised for its lack of external validity.

  L: This means that the research tells us little about the effectiveness of Cl in real life situations.
• Is the information obtained accurate?

  P: The cognitive interview is supposed to not only increase the amount (quantity) of information supplied by the witness, but without compromising the quality (the information should be correct).

  E: Kohnken (1999) found an 81% increase of correct information, but also a 61% increase of incorrect information (known as false positives), when the C.l. was compared to a standard interview.
• Is the information obtained accurate? (2)

  E: This means that police need to treat all information collected from C.l.s with caution, as C.l. does not guarantee accuracy.

  L: Therefore, the validity of Cl is in question, such that perhaps it leads to less accurate recall.
• Problems with using the CI in the real world - time consuming

  P: Research conducted on police officers suggests the Cognitive Interview is not being consistently implemented in the real world.

  E: Kebbell and Wagstaff interviewed the police to find out how easy/complex it is to put the cognitive interview into practice. They found that police officers suggest this technique that requires more time than is often available and that instead they prefer to use deliberate strategies aimed to limit an eyewitnesses’ report to the minimum amount of information that the officers feel is necessary.
• Problems with using the CI in the real world - time consuming (2)

  E: Furthermore, Cl requires special training and many forces do not have time to offer this training.

  E: For these reasons the Cognitive Interview is not widespread.

  L: Therefore, perhaps an alternative solution/technique should be implemented in order to improve the accuracy and amount of information that eyewitnesses recall during police interviews.