| |
|
|
|
|
TIP: PARALINGUISTIC COMMUNICATION |
2 Pages - Page 2 |
| Volume Changes |
| When someone is telling the truth, he wants to make certain that the questioner understands exactly where he stands. Consequently, during for instance an accusatory interrogation, a truthful suspect's denial is often spoken loudly and distinctly, perhaps with an emphasis on each word, e.g., "Listen, I did not have anything to do with that robbery!" On the other hand, when these same words are spoken at a conversational level, especially with the suspect looking down at the floor, they do not sound nearly as convincing.
Increasing one's volume, of course, is a natural defensive response to guilt or anxiety. Most investigators have encountered the liar who engages in a loud tantrum in the hope that the emotional outburst will fend off further questions. The focus of this tirade is not centered around the liar's non-involvement in the crime, but rather, some threat against the investigator (law suit, letter to the editor of the local paper, "I'll have your badge for this").
A decrease in volume during the course of a response can be a very significant behavior symptom of deception. This behavior is referred to as "losing interest in a response." During my training seminar I show an interview with a liar who is asked, "How do you feel about being interviewed concerning this missing $1000?" The words the liar uses in his response to this question appear to be more typical of the truthful. He answers, "Well, I certainly understand why I was asked to go through this. It's a lot of money to come up missing and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of this." However, when listening to his response, it is very evident that the last thing he wants is, "to do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of this." During that portion of his response his volume drops significantly to the point that the last portion of his response is barely audible. The liar had lost interest in his response - he said the right words, but there was no conviction or sincerity behind them. |
| |
| Rate Changes |
When a subject offers a spontaneous response, it should be free-flowing and the rate of speaking should be maintained. When the account concerns an emotional event, such as being the victim of a sexual assault or armed robbery, the truthful victim's rate of speaking will increase, as true emotions are recalled.
Conversely, a decrease in rate often indicates that the subject is editing information from the account, or fabricating information within the account. Both of these mental activities (editing and fabrication) require time and to buy time, the subject slows down his response rate. A caveat to this statement is the traumatized victim. A victim interviewed shortly after an emotional event may exhibit a decreased rate when speaking simply because he is presently dealing with the emotions of the event. However, after a victim has been given a reasonable period of time to adjust to the event, a decrease in response rate when relating the incident to an investigator should warrant suspicion as to its truthfulness or completeness.
|
|
|
|
|
