CBS 4 Miami recently covered a study by our Department of Psychology Assistant Professor, Dr. Lindsay Malloy, that discusses how when being questioned by law enforcement, teens are susceptible to lying to protect themselves or others.
Dr. Malloy, who found that a third of the 193 participants studied, made false admissions to legal authorities. The participants were all males facing serious legal consequences between the ages of 14 and 17. The study also found that lengthy interrogations and questioning in the presence of a friend increase false confession risks.
Dr. Malloy said, “most false admissions reportedly were done to protect someone else or reduce punishment.” The study recommends special interview techniques for juveniles and that interviews be video recorded.
The findings were published last week in the American Psychological Association’s journal Law and Human Behavior.
Read the full CBS 4 article for more on this study.
