NCJ Number
216819
Journal
Journal of Crime and Justice Volume: 29 Issue: 2 Dated: 2006 Pages: 141-157
Date Published
2006
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This paper examined whether or not a change in police detection of deception training could prevent or lesson the negative response bias shift that training has generally been demonstrated to produce.
Abstract
Study results suggest that small changes in training curricula can affect response biases. The actual goal of the training was to enhance the detection of deception accuracy of the trainees, but the training appeared instead to induce a negative response bias. The results indicate that simply giving trainees information on response bias can undo or reduce the negative bias that is induced by some training. The results also suggest that training programs should be assessed for their impact on not only sensitivity (accuracy) but also response bias before they are implemented in a widespread manner. This study provides the first evidence that it may be possible to manipulate detection of deception response bias through realistic changes in training programs to meet the desires of public policymakers. Research found and documented those participants who received training in the detection of deception tended to demonstrate response bias that was more negative after training. This negative bias suggests that more false positive errors will occur regarding the presence of deception. This study consisted of 92 randomly assigned participants to 1 of 2 groups, a control group and an experimental group. The control group received a normal detection of deception training program and the experimental group attended the same training program, but received additional information about response bias. Participants were recruited from an Introduction to the Criminal Justice System class. Table, references