Discriminating Between Statements of True and False Intent: The Impact of Repeated Interviews and Strategic Questioning

ABSTRACT

Between-statement consistency is regarded as an important cue to deceit. However, research indicates that liars can be as consistent as truth tellers. The consistency of statements of intent in two mock security settings was examined. Truth tellers spoke honestly of their intentions. Liars provided a cover story to mask their criminal intentions. Participants (N = 60) were interviewed three times, and their statements were coded for repetitions, omissions, and commissions. The similarities between truth tellers and liars on all three measures of consistency were striking. These findings highlight consistency as a pernicious cue to deceit.

KEYWORDS:

• True and false intent
• deception detection
• consistency
• repeated interviews

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Erratum

Acknowledgments

Statements of fact, opinion and analysis in the paper are those of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the FBI or the U.S. Government. We would like to thank Sara Svedlund for her assistance throughout the project.

Funding

This work is funded by the High-Value Detainee Interrogation Group contract (J-FBI-10-009) awarded to Pär Anders Granhag, University of Gothenburg, Department of Psychology, through the University of Texas at El Paso.