Proposing immersive virtual reality scenarios for validating verbal content analysis methods in adult samples

Area of Science:

• Forensic Psychology
• Cognitive Science
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Verbal content analysis methods, such as Criteria-Based Content Analysis (CBCA), are crucial for assessing statement credibility in legal contexts.
• Existing research paradigms for verbal content analysis often face limitations in ecological or internal validity.
• There is a need for innovative approaches to improve the validity of lie detection techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential of immersive virtual reality (VR) scenarios to enhance the validity of verbal content analysis.
• To review existing literature on VR applications in forensic and victimology research concerning statement credibility.
• To identify strengths, limitations, and ethical considerations for future VR-based studies in verbal content analysis.

Main Methods:

• An integrative literature review examining current uses of virtual scenarios in forensic and victimology research.
• Analysis of existing studies to extract strengths and limitations of VR for verbal content analysis.
• Identification and summarization of novel ethical challenges associated with VR in this context.

Main Results:

• Immersive VR scenarios offer a promising approach to increase both ecological and internal validity in verbal content analysis research.
• VR can provide more realistic and controlled environments for testing lie detection methods.
• Ethical considerations, including potential short- and long-term aftereffects on participants, require careful attention.

Conclusions:

• VR technology presents a valuable tool for validating verbal content analysis methods used in lie detection.
• Future research should leverage VR to overcome the validity limitations of traditional paradigms.
• A cautious approach is necessary, prioritizing ethical guidelines and participant well-being when implementing VR in forensic research.