Undergraduate research assistant, Joeann Salvati, was selected as a Crown Scholar in the Renée Crown University Honors program. Joeann recently received the award for her Honors Capstone project, “Effects and Effectiveness of Confession-Eliciting Tactics in Simulated Interrogation.”

The purpose of her research is to investigate the relative effects and effectiveness of the Reid and Compliance models in simulated interrogation. To investigate, Joeann conducted an online study using hypothetical vignettes that modeled each type of interrogation through the language and tactics used. The data collected serves as a means to provide knowledge about the negative implications of language and tactics used by law enforcement, and how this can prime the suspect for false confessions.

The funding from the Honors Program will be used to present Joeann’s research at the 2018 Society for Personality and Social Psychology (SPSP) Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. This is one of the largest national conferences for social and personality psychologists! At the conference, Joeann will be able to receive feedback from professionals and academics in the field of Social Psychology. This experience will be integral in developing and finalizing her capstone project.