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Verifiable information in truthful statements: do interview context and language proficiency matter?: do interview context and language proficiency matter?

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Title: Verifiable information in truthful statements: do interview context and language proficiency matter?: do interview context and language proficiency matter?
Authors: Irena Boskovic, Hugues Delmas, Alina Andretzky, Myriam Hocini, Eric Rassin
Source: Psychology, Crime & Law. :1-17
Publisher Information: Informa UK Limited, 2025.
Publication Year: 2025
Subject Terms: ESSB PSY
Description: We investigated the frequency of verifiable information in people’s truthful accounts of recent life events and whether its frequency varies within the interview context and language proficiency. Participants reported their activities from 2 pm to 6 pm the previous day and were randomly assigned to either neutral (n1 = 50, n2 = 47) or alibi interview conditions (n1 = 48, n2 = 48). In Study 1 (N = 98), participants wrote their accounts in their second language, English, while in Study 2 (N = 95), participants wrote their statements in their native language, French. On average, truthful accounts contained 42 (95% CI [37.2, 46.84]) and 43 (95% CI [35.99, 50.03]) verifiable details, as well as 34 (95% CI [28.3, 40.62]) and 35 (95% CI [31.41, 40.13]) non-verifiable details, respectively. Participants included proportionally more verifiable than non-verifiable information in English (M =.56, 95% CI [.51,.61]) and French reports (M =.54, 95% CI [.49,.58]). No significant differences were found between the neutral and alibi interview groups in either study (tsStudy1 < 1.04, ps >.31; tsStudy2 < 1.14, ps >.26). Additionally, no significant differences were observed between the non-native (Study 1) and native (Study 2) speakers in terms of (non-)verifiability (ts .44). These findings suggest that the verifiability of truthful reports is not influenced by the interview context or language proficiency.
Document Type: Article
Language: English
ISSN: 1477-2744
1068-316X
DOI: 10.1080/1068316x.2025.2540382
Access URL: https://pure.eur.nl/en/publications/c8d180fa-3b8c-4896-8aeb-d834bb0c362d
https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316X.2025.2540382
Rights: CC BY
Accession Number: edsair.doi.dedup.....0ce6c1a3e666d864dfb5a3ef89200de3
Database: OpenAIRE
Description
Abstract:We investigated the frequency of verifiable information in people’s truthful accounts of recent life events and whether its frequency varies within the interview context and language proficiency. Participants reported their activities from 2 pm to 6 pm the previous day and were randomly assigned to either neutral (n1 = 50, n2 = 47) or alibi interview conditions (n1 = 48, n2 = 48). In Study 1 (N = 98), participants wrote their accounts in their second language, English, while in Study 2 (N = 95), participants wrote their statements in their native language, French. On average, truthful accounts contained 42 (95% CI [37.2, 46.84]) and 43 (95% CI [35.99, 50.03]) verifiable details, as well as 34 (95% CI [28.3, 40.62]) and 35 (95% CI [31.41, 40.13]) non-verifiable details, respectively. Participants included proportionally more verifiable than non-verifiable information in English (M =.56, 95% CI [.51,.61]) and French reports (M =.54, 95% CI [.49,.58]). No significant differences were found between the neutral and alibi interview groups in either study (tsStudy1 < 1.04, ps >.31; tsStudy2 < 1.14, ps >.26). Additionally, no significant differences were observed between the non-native (Study 1) and native (Study 2) speakers in terms of (non-)verifiability (ts .44). These findings suggest that the verifiability of truthful reports is not influenced by the interview context or language proficiency.
ISSN:14772744
1068316X
DOI:10.1080/1068316x.2025.2540382