Summary: The Effect of Rapport in
Forensic Interviewing
This article looked at the effects of building rapport with eyewitnesses. It suggests that in clinical, experimental, or forensic settings, building a relationship with the witness enhances the quality of the interaction. The results of the experiment indicate that participants in the rapport interview recalled more correct information and the same amount of incorrect information.
I have never been an eyewitness to a crime, but if I did, I would be more willing to give information and more cooperative if the officer was friendly. The best method of interviewing is promoting free-recall at first then asking specific questions. The cognitive method is designed to jog specific methods like asking the witness to reconstruct the circumstances of the event in whole and in different order. The cognitive interview sounds a lot more witness oriented. This is a lot more conducive to facilitating and remembering events and details.
It is suggested that interviews that are conducted in a pleasant and comfortable environment yield more compliant and cooperative eyewitnesses. An enriched environment can have a positive influence on many things like learning, mood, and in this case a better witness. The article states that it is a hard thing to measure.
Rapport is defined as "harmonious, empathetic, or sympathetic relation or connection to another self." The results of the study indicate that when the interviewer built rapport, there were more correct bits of information found and that no increase in incorrect bits occurred. The results show that the relationship between the interviewer and the interviewee are very important and can lead to more accurate information. Building rapport and ensuring a comfortable environment also leads to more information and a more cooperative eyewitness. Building rapport can also be helpful if the eyewitness has more information or it is necessary to meet with them again.
By MS
In this article, rapport remains an ambiguous idea. They offer a definition as “harmonious, empathetic, or sympathetic relation or connection to another self”, but it is not clear what constitutes rapport. Phrases such as ‘get along’, ‘pleasant surroundings’, and ‘warm and accepting’ are used to describe a rapport relationship. There are many studies examined in this research that contradict one another. But, no study has been done within a lab with all other conditions constant. This study tried to depict an interview after a crime scene observation in the lab. Many constants were identified, which should help this become more accurate data.
After the study, no implications of gender differences or age differences were present. It sometimes would seem like females would be more responsive to rapport interviews since they are more sensitive and sentimental by nature. But no such data was found, this was the most interesting piece of the article to me. The rapport interviews, although short lived in the experiment were found to make a difference. Some of the participants responded to the interviewer’s friendly and supportive attitude by trying much harder in the interview and in recalling. While others, were reluctant to assist because of the interviewer’s attitude in the neutral and abrupt interviews. This was a large finding to make the rapport effect significant. All in all, this study identified that rapport building is a simple method that increases accurate identifications without spending too much money, and should be taught not only to police but also other personnel who work in forensics.
-Cara