Helping to sort the liars from the truth-tellers: The gradual revelation of information during investigative interviews
Journal article
Authors | Dando, Coral J., Bull, Ray, Ormerod, Thomas C. and Sandham, Alexandra L. |
---|---|
Abstract | Research examining detection of verbal deception reveals that lay observers generally perform at chance. Yet, in the criminal justice system, laypersons that have not undergone specialist investigative training are frequently called upon to make veracity judgements (e.g., solicitors; magistrates; juries). We sought to improve performance by manipulating the timing of information revelation during investigative interviews. A total of 151 participants played an interactive computer game as either a truth-teller or a deceiver, and were interviewed afterwards. Game information known to the interviewer was revealed either early, at the end of the interview, or gradually throughout. Subsequently, 30 laypersons individually viewed a random selection of interviews (five deceivers and five truth-tellers from each condition), and made veracity and confidence judgements. Veracity judgements were most accurate in the gradual condition, p < .001, η2 = .97 (above chance), and observers were more confident in those judgements, p < .001, η2 = .99. Deceptive interviewees reported the gradual interviews to be the most cognitively demanding, p < .001; η2 = .24. Our findings suggest that the detection of verbal deception by non-expert observers can be enhanced by employing interview techniques that maximize deceivers' cognitive load, while allowing truth-tellers the opportunity to respond to evidence incrementally. |
Keywords | Deception; Gradual disclosure; Suspects; Police interviewing |
Year | 2013 |
Journal | Legal and Criminological Psychology |
Publisher | Wiley |
ISSN | 13553259 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1111/lcrp.12016 |
Web address (URL) | http://hdl.handle.net/10545/621768 |
hdl:10545/621768 | |
Publication dates | 20 Apr 2013 |
Publication process dates | |
Deposited | 20 Jul 2017, 15:01 |
Rights | Archived with thanks to Legal and Criminological Psychology |
Contributors | University of Wolverhampton, University of Derby, Lancaster University, Department of Psychology; University of Wolverhampton; UK, School of Law and Criminology; Derby University; UK, Department of Psychology; Lancaster University; UK and Department of Psychology; Lancaster University; UK |
File | File Access Level Open |
https://repository.derby.ac.uk/item/947z8/helping-to-sort-the-liars-from-the-truth-tellers-the-gradual-revelation-of-information-during-investigative-interviews
Download files
76
total views0
total downloads3
views this month0
downloads this month