The effect of group deliberation and the results of a competency test on judgements of child witness credibility

Lucy Akehurst*, Hannah Cassidy, Cassie Hayter

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter (peer-reviewed)peer-review

Abstract

It is important to understand how adults rate the credibility of children's evidential accounts. Most research to date focuses on the ability of adults to detect deception as individuals. The current study looked at adults' ability to detect deception as part of a group (as jurors would). Children are required to complete a competency test, prior to providing evidence, to discuss their understanding of the difference between truths and lies. We investigated whether knowledge of the results of this competency test improved participants' accuracy at detecting deceit. Overall, participants' lie detection accuracy predeliberation was at chance level (50%). Accuracy slightly improved post-deliberation. Accuracy remained the same for those who viewed a truth teller regardless of their knowledge about the positive results of a competency test. However, those who viewed a lie teller were significantly less accurate when they were not provided with the results of a competency test compared to when they did know that the child witness knew the difference between truths and lies.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationDeception and Deceptive Communication
Subtitle of host publicationMotivations, Recognition Techniques and Behavioral Control
EditorsInnocent Chiluwa
PublisherNova Science Publishers, Inc.
Chapter3
Pages37-66
Number of pages30
ISBN (Electronic)9781536128505
ISBN (Print)9781536128499
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2017

Publication series

NamePsychology of Emotions, Motivations and Actions
PublisherNova Science Publishers

Keywords

  • Child deception
  • Competency tests
  • Jury deliberation

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