Great minds think alike: Psychology of an effective interrogation

Abstract

Interrogation is a form of asymmetric conflict that opposes the power of an interrogator against the weaknesses of a detainee. Two case studies of successful interrogators (one from tsarist Russia and one from US military security forces) are reviewed to show how these interrogators develop a relationship of trust with the interviewee. The case studies show strong parallels in the use of techniques of verbal and non-verbal priming of common group membership and reciprocity, and analysis of these parallels identifies common psychological mechanisms at work in the two cases. These results lead to several implications for training of interrogators and for future research.