Identifier

etd-04102017-154931

Degree

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Communication Studies

Document Type

Access to Thesis Restricted to LSU Campus

Abstract

The objective of this study is to determine if the types of unanticipated questions asked during an interview affect deception detection accuracy rates. Both spatial (environment, surroundings, placement) and temporal (time, sequence of events) question types were used. Participant interviews (n= 30) were videotaped and later viewed by a separate group of participants (n=30). The observer group was comprised of both deception detection experts (n=15) and nonexperts (n=15). Observers made veracity judgments based on only the information provided during the interviews. Of the thirty interviews conducted, eight were selected for viewing by expert and nonexpert groups. Experts obtained 65% mean accuracy (Mdn=62.5%, mode= 75%). Nonexperts obtained 60.8% mean accuracy (Mdn=62.5%, mode= 50%). The total deception-detection accuracy for both groups combined was 62.9%, which is above meta-analysis levels. These data suggests that improved accuracy is possible when individuals are asked unanticipated questions that are spatial and temporal.

Date

2017

Document Availability at the Time of Submission

Student has submitted appropriate documentation to restrict access to LSU for 365 days after which the document will be released for worldwide access.

Committee Chair

Pecchioni, Loretta

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_theses.4576

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