Psychological Aspects of Interviewing Flashcards

The 'mirroring' technique in forensic interviewing is used primarily to:

Answer: Build rapport by subtly reflecting the subject's language and posture

Mirroring builds subconscious rapport by reflecting the subject's words, tone, or body language, making the subject feel understood and more likely to disclose.

Which factor most significantly increases a child witness's susceptibility to suggestion during forensic interviews?

Answer: Repeated questioning by authority figures about the same events

Repeated questioning, especially by authority figures, signals to child witnesses that their initial answer was wrong, leading them to alter their accounts to conform.

A forensic interviewer notices that a subject's verbal account is consistent but their micro-expressions reveal brief flashes of contempt. The interviewer should:

Answer: Note the observation and continue gathering information before drawing conclusions

Micro-expressions are informative cues but not standalone proof of deception; the interviewer should note them and gather more information before forming conclusions.

The phenomenon in which a subject begins to believe their own false story over time is known as:

Answer: Confabulation

Confabulation is the production of fabricated or distorted memories without conscious intent to deceive, and subjects can come to sincerely believe their own inaccurate narratives.

An interviewee who shifts blame entirely to external factors and denies personal responsibility for an admitted act is employing which defense mechanism?

Answer: Externalization (projection of blame)

Externalization involves attributing one's actions or negative feelings to outside forces rather than accepting personal agency or responsibility.

The Reid Technique has been criticized psychologically primarily because:

Answer: Its confrontational approach can produce false confessions, especially from vulnerable populations

Research has shown that the Reid Technique's presumptive, high-pressure confrontation can cause innocent individuals, particularly juveniles and those with mental health conditions, to confess falsely.

When an interviewer provides a 'moral justification' minimization strategy (e.g., suggesting the act was an accident), they are psychologically attempting to:

Answer: Lower the perceived consequences of disclosure to encourage admission

Minimization reduces the psychological cost of admitting wrongdoing by offering the subject a face-saving framework, thereby lowering barriers to disclosure.