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Interviewing Suspects: Examining the Adaptive Decision-Making of Guilty Suspects

Hillenbrand, Kim (2019) Interviewing Suspects: Examining the Adaptive Decision-Making of Guilty Suspects.

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Abstract:This study examines the adaptability of suspects and resulting provision of information. In addition, the relationship with information in two strategic interviewing techniques was compared: The Shift-of-Strategy approach and the Late Disclosure technique. In a mock crime, participants (N= 50) were asked to take on the role of an animals’ rights activist and were given information about their interfering with cruel animal testing. They were to collect evidence against the researcher conducting illegal animal experiments. Critically, participants were not instructed how to proceed during the interview but only to appear innocent. As predicted, the SoS approach resulted in significantly more adjustments (vs. the LD technique). In addition, more adjustments could overall be linked to increased forthcomingness. As predicted, the SoS approach resulted in significantly more admissions (vs. the Late Disclosure technique). The late disclosure technique was shown to partially elicit suspects’ inconsistency with evidence but the SoS approach was able to match this result. More adaptive suspects were shown to provide more case-relevant information and fewer inconsistencies with evidence. This study provides rather strong support for the Shift-of-Strategy approach in affecting suspects’ counter-interrogation strategies and, as a result, eliciting admissions and statement-evidence inconsistencies.
Item Type:Essay (Bachelor)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:77 psychology
Programme:Psychology BSc (56604)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/78980
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