Police interview environments: Towards an ecological approach

Abstract

This thesis examines, From an ecological approach, the effects that Police interview room environment have on the perceptions of the users of such environments. The research takes into account the perspectives of the different categories of persons involved, e.g. Police, victim, witness, suspect and Solicitor. Starting from a review of the relevant Police and psychological literatures and a pilot study using a variety of questionnaires and interview techniques, the first main study involves objective assessment of environmental factors such as sound, temperature, humidity, light and colour. Two subsequent studies explore the perspectives of Police interviewers and Solicitors. In a final study the perspectives of Police interviewers, victims, witnesses and suspects are compared. The main finding of the thesis is that environmental stimuli such as sound, temperature, humidity, light, colour, spatial aspects and tidiness have an effect on users' perceptions. Factors relating to the design of the interview room environment are also shown to be important. The category of the perceiver also affects the perceived importance of the various environmental factors. The thesis ends by recommending that further research should be undertaken to take account of variations in the environmental stimuli that occur in the course of the interview and that it would be useful to make a detailed analysis of the social interaction during the interview. Proposals are also made for the introduction of changes to existing interview environments.