In last month’s RNI Investigation Newsletter, I summarized recent research that described the significant downside of employing confrontational interviewing/interrogating techniques. During the next several months, this discussion will continue with a description of some of the most effective and ethical approaches. If you are a student of the process, you understand that interviewing is an art not a science, and if you currently are employing these techniques, look at this as validation of your own process.
A respected and well informed student of the subject, psychologist Christian Meissner of Iowa State University, recently wrote about interviewing/interrogating, “More effective tactics rely on cooperation, which can be facilitated using principles of social influence that we know work very well.” (Applied Cognitive Psychology, November/December 2014). He added, “Ethical interrogations are not only possible; their effectiveness is also robustly supported by research.”
Most of us who practice the “art” on a regular basis have learned that relationship building is the best first step to a successful interview/inquiry/legal proceeding. In fact, 50%+ of the success rate is directly attributable to your personality and your ability to relate. But what do you do after you build the rapport? Each event/encounter is different, and one or several of the following techniques can help:
- Statistically, the best opportunity to begin to develop factual inconsistencies in statements is during the first contact. Allow sufficient time to cover everything. If you are interviewing job applicants, there is pressure to complete a number of interviews in a short period of time. If you are an insurance adjuster, you are saddled with a file full of claims, and there always is pressure to move on to the next claim. If you are an attorney taking a deposition, not only is there pressure from opposing counsel to complete the process, but you also have a fist full of files to work. In all of these situations, do what you can to take the necessary time and prepare beforehand. Then remember the foregoing statistic.
- Judiciously employ the art of the pause. Most people are made to feel uncomfortable when an interviewer stops talking and there is silence. Most persons feel a need to speak up to fill that silence. Practice this technique casually with your kids, your spouse/significant other and your friends, and confirm that it really works. Once someone speaks to fill the void, listen to what they say and use those remarks to your advantage.
- Follow you instincts, and end the interview on a positive note. That will allow you to go back for more at a later date if necessary.
There are many other ethical techniques, and more will be presented in RNI Investigation Newsletters in the coming months. Please watch for them!
Research North, Inc. (RNI), is a professional private detective service providing support to the business community, the insurance industry and individuals in Michigan and Wisconsin since 1981. The company also offers pre-employment background checks to small and medium sized businesses through a subsidiary called Backgroundcheckswork.com that is fully staffed by professional investigators who are retired from law enforcement.
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