Modeling the Influence of Investigator Bias on the Elicitation of True and False Confessions

The aim of this study was to model various social and cognitive processes believed to be associated with true and false confessions by exploring the link between investigative biases and what occurs in the interrogation room. Using the Russano et al. (Psychol Sci 16:481-486, 2005) paradigm, this stu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Law and human behavior 2011-12, Vol.35 (6), p.452-465
Main Authors: Narchet, Fadia M, Meissner, Christian A, Russano, Melissa B
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Admission of guilt
Adult
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Bias
Cheating
Cognition
Cognition & reasoning
Cognitive ability
Cognitive models
Cognitive Processes
Cognitive psychology
Community and Environmental Psychology
Confession
Confessions
Crime
Criminal investigations
Criminal psychology
Criminology and Criminal Justice
Deception
Decision Making
Disclosure
Evidence
Female
Guilt
Human
Humans
Hypothesis testing
Interrogation
Interrogations
Interviews as Topic - methods
Investigations
Law and Psychology
Legal Confession
Male
Models, Theoretical
Original Article
Personality and Social Psychology
Police
Prejudice
Psychology
Questioning
Questionnaires
Social Processes
Social psychology
Studies
Torture
Young Adult
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Summary:The aim of this study was to model various social and cognitive processes believed to be associated with true and false confessions by exploring the link between investigative biases and what occurs in the interrogation room. Using the Russano et al. (Psychol Sci 16:481-486, 2005) paradigm, this study explored how perceptions of guilt influenced the frequency and type of interrogation tactics used, suspect's perceptions of the interrogation process, the likelihood of confession, and investigator's resulting perceptions of culpability. Results suggested that investigator bias led to the increased use of minimization tactics and thereby increased the likelihood of false confessions by innocent participants. In contrast, the manipulation of investigator bias had no direct or indirect influence on guilty participants. These findings confirm the important role of investigator bias and improve our understanding of the decision-making process associated with true and false confessions.
ISSN:0147-7307
1573-661X
DOI:10.1007/s10979-010-9257-x