Setting a Baseline
Chapter 1: History of Detecting Deception
Chapter 2: Reading the Signs of Deception
Chapter 3: Setting a Baseline
The first task in any investigation interview is to ask the subject some basic, non-threatening questions to which you already know the correct answers. This establishes a baseline for how they respond when telling the truth.
Sample baseline questions include:
- What is your address?
- How old are you?
- How long have you worked at company xyz?
- What is your position with the company?
TIP: Observe and note the way the person uses gestures, style of speech and the degree to which he or she establishes eye contact while answering these questions. From here, you will be able to measure differences in their response behavior when you are asking questions they are less inclined to answer truthfully.