Lie-detection by strategy manipulation: developing an Asymmetric Information Management (AIM) technique

Liars can, when prompted, provide detailed statements. Ideally, interview protocols to improve lie-detection should (a) encourage forthcoming verbal strategies from truth tellers and (b) encourage withholding verbal strategies from liars. Previous research has investigated (a) but not (b). We designed an asymmetric information management (AIM) instruction—informing interviewees, inter alia, that more detailed statements are easier to accurately classify as genuine or fabricated—to encourage truth tellers to be verbally forthcoming and to encourage liars to be verbally withholding. Truth tellers (n = 52) and liars (n = 52) took part in one of two counterbalanced missions, and were assigned to either the AIM or control interviewing condition. Truth tellers provided (and liars withheld) more information in the AIM condition (compared to the control condition), and thus, discriminant analysis classificatory performance was improved. Therefore, a simple instruction can simultaneously modify the respective strategies of liars and truth tellers.