Improving the disclosure of information in an investigative interview: rapport building and the physical environment

When you think about an interrogation room, what do you picture? A small, dull, and anxiety-provoking room? You may be right; some interrogation rooms look like this. However, does the room really matter? Is it possible to influence the interviewee through the physical environment of the interrogation? We explore this topic by discussing the current scientific consensus regarding interrogation approaches, and summarize the available literature on how the physical environment influences the disclosure of information.