Do You Hear What I Hear – Part III Overcoming Interview Bias
Tim Reddick, CPP, PCI, CFE Managing Director Desert Thunder Investigations
1 Background Director, Fraud & Special Investigations, City of Philadelphia, Office of the Controller Corporate Security Investigations Group Lead, Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabian Oil Company) Chief, Drug Enforcement, Air Force Office of Special Investigations Investigations Specialist, FDIC
Background Graduate, US Air Force Air Command & Staff College, Air University MS, Criminology, Florida State University Graduate, FBI National Academy Graduate Work, University of Virginia, University of Southern California, University of Georgia BS, Criminal Justice, Oklahoma City University
Background
Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and CFE of the Year, 2011 Board Certified in Security Management (CPP) and Investigations (PCI) ASIS International Professional Certification Board International Award of Excellence, 2007 ASIS International Investigations Council Member Life Member, International Association of Chief of Police
1 INTRODUCTION
My Background Class Background What Certifications Represented? Previous Interviewing Courses? Agency Interviewing Policy
OVERVIEW
Review of Previous Information Common Interview Mistakes Interview Planning Interview Outline Interview Bias
WHY INTERVIEWING?
“The most effective tool for gathering information is interviewing people” witnesses victim accused/suspect informants: acquaintances/friends colleagues relatives employers
2 COMMUNICATION
Made by Einar Faanes in Inkscape,somerightsreserved. See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
COMMUNICATION
Full article at plato.stanford.edu/entries/information-semantic/
What makes a story? “A truthful statement reflects reality”
PEOPLE ACTIVITIES OBJECTS LOCATIONS TIME
3 PREVIOUS INFORMATION Vocal, Verbal and Non-Verbal indicators Othello’s Error – Accused or think you don’t believe them, non-verbal indicators no longer valid Micro-Expressions – quick but show hidden emotions Cognitive Overload – when deceiving, two competing ideas increase indicators.
FIVE COMMON INTERVIEW MISTAKES
The failure to plan for the interview Confirmation Bias Settled into the “Interviewing Comfort Zone” The rapidly diminishing capability to pay attention Personalizing the interview
INTERVIEW OUTLINE Introductions, preliminary Questions Establish Rapport and get “normal” reactions Open ended Questions Clarification Questions Use Subjects Language Move to “tougher” Questions Save “Toughest” Questions for last
4 INTERVIEW OUTLINE
Conclusion End on good note Tell them what to expect next Let them know if they may be interviewed again Let them know you are available for any follow-up or additional information
DEFINITION - BIAS
Bias means that a person prefers an idea and possibly does not give equal chance to a different idea. Bias can be influenced by a number of factors.
COMMON BIAS
Perception Bias Confirmation Bias Memory Bias Attention Bias Evidence Bias
5 PERCEPTION BIAS
Perception bias is a built in – instinctual survival mechanism Everyone has some biases than could affect their perceptions We tend to have opinions based on our backgrounds
PERCEPTION BIAS Empathy gap - The tendency to underestimate the influence or strength of feelings, in either oneself or others Mere exposure effect - The tendency to express undue liking for things merely because of familiarity with them Need to recognize your biases and work to overcome them
PERCEPTION BIAS
Misinformation effect - Memory becoming less accurate because of interference from post-event information
6 CONFIRMATION BIAS
The tendency to search for, interpret, focus on and remember information in a way that confirms one's preconceptions Focusing effect - The tendency to place too much importance on one aspect of an event
CONFIRMATION BIAS Observation selection bias - The effect of suddenly noticing things that were not noticed previously – and as a result wrongly assuming that the frequency has increased. Irrational escalation - The phenomenon where people justify increased investment in a decision, based on the cumulative prior investment, despite new evidence suggesting that the decision was probably wrong.
INTERVIEWER “DECODING” Interviewer has substantial facts and story doesn’t fit facts More use of closed versus open questions If Interviewer believes subject is lying More awareness of deceptive clues
7 CONFIRMATION BIAS
Polygraph Study False Confessions
Source: The Innocence Project
MEMORY BIAS
False memory - A form of misattribution where imagination is mistaken for a memory. Leveling and Sharpening Memory - distortions introduced by the loss of details in a recollection over time. Both biases may be reinforced over time, and by repeated recollection or re-telling of a memory
8 MEMORY BIAS From IG Report During Interview (Interview Memo) Questions to Witnesses In Report of Investigation Murder Interview Came in Garage Door First saw him when he approached carpet Police Officer Shooting
Listening Issues Be curious - non-judgmental and non-blaming Understand! (…and show it!) Concentrate on what the other person is saying and feeling Listen without interrupting or planning your response Show interest in what the other person is saying - they are watching! Be tolerant, flexible, intuitive and positive! Practice “Active Listening” skills
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Improving Observational Abilities
Audio/Video of Interviews Two Angles is best Equipment cost has reduced considerably Have a fully vetted policy
9 ATTENTION BIAS
Previously, smokers had a tendency to lose focus. Any distractions during interview can increase Attention Bias Stress of Interview can rapidly deteriorate focusing ability
PAYING ATTENTION
Over the last few years, the attention span of adults has reduced from 12 to 5 minutes The Cell phone and text generation Everything is SMS (Short Message Duration) Can affect both the interviewer and interviewee
EVIDENCE BIAS
People tend to interpret ambiguous evidence as supporting their existing position The “CSI Effect” can also unduly influence the interviewer Unvalidated or Improper Forensics
10 EVIDENCE BIAS
Fingerprints Ballistics, Tool Markings, Hair & Fiber Polygraph Handwriting Analysis (Mics) Eyewitness and Line Up Interviews & Confessions
Source: The Innocence Project
The Call In
Uh, let me respond to that… I think that we’ve been supportive I think we just recently issued a global message on that. Important part (clears throat) of our workplace environment
11 BROKAW HAZZARD Belief that circumlocution is the omnipresent sentinel of a lie Refers to the common error of not comparing a person in a relaxed (default state) to the moment of analysis. Some people seem anxious, when they are completely at ease, and this will change from person to person. The simple rule is to know the person before making snap judgments.
The Call In Compared Uh, let me respond to that… Used that and other “delays” on numerous occasions. Not unusual on complex questions I think” and “we Continually used “I think” and “we” in this and previous call-ins. So What do we KNOW?
SUPPORT TELEWORKING? Question was “personally support” To a reasonably certainty, We Don’t Know HE didn’t say that he does, so WE can’t say that he does. He also didn’t say that he didn’t support it, so we can’t say that either. Investigative Hypothesis – Some conflict but wants to show “unified” support by using “We”.
12 5 WAYS TO REDUCE BIAS Recognize we all have biases Identify situations in which biases, may effect interactions (i.e. Interviews) Reduce Confirmation Bias Combat Memory Bias Practice Empathy
REDUCING BIAS Ask open-ended questions and listen to the response Find something that places the person in the same “category” as you Surround yourself with images that defy stereotypes Actively pursue relationships with different type of people
REDUCING BIAS Determine criteria BEFORE making a decision Check interview recordings and/or notes to confirm information Consider why the Suspect might be innocent. Distinction bias The tendency to view two options as more dissimilar when evaluating them simultaneously than when evaluating them separately
13 REDUCING BIAS
Proper nutrition, “good” carbs, brain healthy foods and caffeine before interviews Use techniques that open you up to “alternatives”, i.e. Alter routines How you dress in the morning Different routes to work or home
INTERVIEWER “BIAS” All of us have pre-conceptions about people – Perception Bias Believes subject committed the “act” – Confirmation Bias Hearing what you want to hear – Memory Bias Lack of Attention – Attention Bias Over reliance on unreliable evidence – Evidence Bias
Contact Information
Tim Reddick, CPP, PCI, CFE Managing Director Desert Thunder Investigations Phone: 602-341-5121, Email: [email protected] www.dtinvestigations.com
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