The self-presentation of guilty and innocent suspects in a pre-interrogation phase

Abstract

This study was made with the purpose to examine the field of selfpresentation and self-regulation in counter-interrogation strategies. Of interest was the difference in how guilty and innocent suspects present themselves in a pre-interrogation phase in comparison to one another and in comparison to a control group. A study was conducted online with 151 respondents, all English speaking from 12 different countries. The innocent and guilty group watched a film sequence where they either committed a crime or did not. They were then asked to to rate themselves on six different questions in a pre-interrogation phase, three on law-abidance and three on honesty. The control group did not se any film sequence, they only answered the same set of questions as the other two groups. An overall better than average effect was present, meaning that all three groups graded themselves as more honest and more law-abiding then the average person. In summary the result showed that innocent suspects graded themselves higher on both law-abidance and honesty then the other two groups. The significant result of the study showed that the innocent persons rated themselves as more honest then the control group. This is not in line with previous research.