You Always See but Do Not Observe
The key to a successful investigation is one’s skill of ‘observation’. It can either make or break your investigation. Hence it is essential to know a few vital points that will your interview or interrogation a success!
As an interrogator, it is crucial to establish a baseline of the subject’s behaviour in a normal situation. So, what do you mean by ‘baselining of a subject?’ Baselining refers to how subjects interact when free of social anxiety or any kind of stress. It is used as a basis for measuring one’s behavior during a threatening or stressful situation.
One can develop the baseline during the rapport-building stage of the interview by asking introductory and informational questions. This will allow one to observe the body language and speaking style. It will help to identify the verbal and nonverbal cues as every person has a unique behavior.
It’s critical to baseline a subject before moving to the next phase of identifying exceptions. For instance, it is natural to believe that sweating, shivering hands, and eyes blinking multiple times are exceptions to normal circumstances that indicate stress. l help makes E.g., an individual may have a medical issue of blinking multiple times during the conversation. This may be construed as a false exception in the said context.
Some of the common verbal and non-verbal cues when the subject is being honest are that the subject will have a comfortable and open posture, will be leaning forward, will be maintaining the right amount of eye contact, have an open smile, won’t be shy from expressing emotions, voice and breathing will be steady, the constant rhythm of blinking and will speak in complete sentences.
After the introductory phase, ease the interviewee into the next phase by asking an open-ended question relating to the event in the question. Let the subject do the talking without any interruption. Note the characteristics of his body language, speech, and gestures and compare them to the baseline behavior, to see the variance.
Normally when a person is being deceived, we can notice that there will be no eye contact, will slouch or lean back while sitting, take the help of manipulators i.e., playing with a pen or clasping and unclasping the hands, etc. also use of illustrators may increase or decrease, will place their hand or fingers over their mouth, will use selective wording, voice and breath will become unsteady and will start blinking slowly or fast.
Thus, baselining the behavior of the subject proves to be very beneficial as it helps in identifying negative clusters in response of the interviewee.
Just sit back and observe. You learn ‘more’ that way.
This content is meant for information only and should not be considered as advice or legal opinion, or otherwise. AKGVG & Associates does not intend to advertise its services through this.
Posted by:
CA Ankit Salot
AKGVG & Associates