Cognitive Interview - Geiselman & Fisher

Psychology: AQA A Level, topic 2.1.18

Geiselman & Fisher (1985) - Laboratory Test

Geiselman & Fisher (1985) carried out a laboratory experiment to test the cognitive interview technique.

240 participants watched a video of a store robbery.
120 were interviewed using the standard police interview and 120 using the cognitive interview technique.

Participants interviewed using the cognitive interview technique recalled 35% more facts.

The cognitive interview technique is a more effective method of interviewing witnesses than the standard police interview.

Geiselman & Fisher (1989) also tested the cognitive interview in the field.

Used 16 detective interviews with real witnesses from the robbery division of Dade County, Florida, police.
Seven of the detectives were trained in the cognitive interview technique (CI).
The interviews were recorded and analysed by a team at the University of California, who were blind to the conditions (i.e. they didn’t know if the interview they were analysing was by a trained CI detective or not).
The information gathered by the two groups of detectives was collated.

Results: 63% more information was obtained by the detectives trained in CI.
Conclusion: Cognitive interview techniques do seem to work as more information is gathered. This could help the police solve more crimes.

Strengths
Ecological validity.
Practical applications.
Limitations
Do not know if 63% more information was useful information that might help solve crimes.
Individual differences in skill of detectives carrying out interviews.

Who participated in Geiselman & Fisher's (1985) laboratory test of interview techniques?
What did participants watch a video of in Geiselman & Fisher's (1985) laboratory test of the cognitive interview technique?
How much more information did the detectives trained in CI gain in Geiselman & Fisher's (1989) field study than the detectives who were not?