strengths of the cognitive interview

• Strength 3: Effective Across Different Populations 

  Point: The cognitive interview is effective for a range of populations, increasing its generalisability. Evidence: Mello and Fisher (1996) found that the cognitive interview produced significantly more accurate recall for both younger and older adults compared to standard interviews, particularly in older participants. This demonstrates its population validity, as it works across different age groups. Explanation: The adaptability of the cognitive interview enhances its external validity, as it can be successfully applied to diverse groups of witnesses. However, care must be taken to standardise its application to maintain reliability across interviewers and populations. Link: Thus, the cognitive interview’s ability to produce valid and reliable results across populations highlights its generalisability and value in forensic settings. 
• grounded in well-established psychological theories of memory, enhancing its theoretical validity. Evidence: The techniques used in the CI, such as context reinstatement and recall from different perspectives, are based on Tulving’s encoding specificity principle, which states that memory retrieval is improved when contextual cues are present. This increases the scientific reliability of the method. Explanation: By aligning with robust cognitive theories, the CI demonstrates high construct validity, as it measures what it aims to—accurate memory recall. Furthermore, the scientific principles behind the technique enhance its reliability, as the methods are consistent with established psychological research. Link: Therefore, the cognitive interview’s theoretical underpinnings not only validate its use but also ensure its application is reliable and valid in improving eyewitness testimony.