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An Experimental Analysis of Children's Ability to Provide a False Report about a Crime
Published on: May 3, 2016
How interviewers' nonverbal behaviors can affect children's perceptions and suggestibility
Jehanne Almerigogna1, James Ost, Lucy Akehurst
1Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth, King Henry Building, Portsmouth, Hampshire, UK. jehanne.almerigogna@port.ac.uk
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
|March 5, 2008
Summary
Interviewers' nonverbal cues significantly impact child witness testimony. Supportive behaviors, like smiling, improve accuracy, while nonsupportive behaviors, like fidgeting, decrease it and increase false reports.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Forensic Psychology
- Child Development
Background:
- Nonverbal communication plays a crucial role in social interactions.
- Understanding how interviewer behavior influences child witnesses is vital for accurate testimony.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of interviewer nonverbal behaviors on children's perceptions of interviewers.
- To examine the impact of interviewer nonverbal behaviors on children's suggestibility and recall accuracy.
Main Methods:
- Two studies involving 8- to 10-year-old children.
- Study 1: Children rated interviewers displaying supportive (smiling) vs. nonsupportive (fidgeting) nonverbal behaviors.
- Study 2: Children were interviewed about a learning activity by interviewers exhibiting supportive or nonsupportive behaviors.
Main Results:
- Supportive behaviors (smiling) led to more positive interviewer ratings.
- Nonsupportive behaviors (fidgeting) resulted in less accurate recall and higher rates of false reports.
- Children interviewed by supportive interviewers were more likely to state 'I don't know' than those interviewed by nonsupportive interviewers.
- Children recalled central details more accurately than peripheral details in both conditions.
Conclusions:
- Interviewer nonverbal cues significantly influence children's perceptions and the reliability of their testimony.
- Supportive interviewing techniques are recommended for child witnesses to enhance accuracy and reduce suggestibility.
- Findings have implications for best practices in interviewing child witnesses in legal and investigative settings.
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