MR Jul 22 9:54am

Describe one or more additional ways that interviewers can help prevent the topic they selected from happening during the interviewing process. Offer additional insights or ask a probing question related to the article they selected. Note: Your responses to colleagues should be substantial (250 words minimum), supported with scholarly evidence from your research and/or the Learning Resources, and properly cited using APA Style. Personal anecdotes are acceptable as part of a meaningful response but cannot stand alone as a response. Your responses should enrich the initial post by supporting and/or adding a fresh viewpoint and be constructive, enhancing the learning experience for all students. Return to this Discussion in a few days to read the responses to your initial posting. Note what you have learned and/or any insights that you have gained because of your colleagues’ comments. One important issue related to confabulation in forensic psychological and legal settings is false confessions. False confessions can result in wrongful convictions and often occur because of a combination of psychological vulnerabilities and inappropriate interviewing practices. For this discussion, I selected the article by Farrugia (2025), which examined the existing body of research on false confessions through a study space analysis. The author reviewed 230 studies to identify patterns in the literature and areas requiring additional research. The findings demonstrated that false confessions continue to be a significant problem within criminal justice systems worldwide despite decades of psychological research. Farrugia (2025) found that interrogation methods, suspect vulnerabilities, and interviewer practices remain the primary factors associated with false confessions. The review also identified important gaps in research involving vulnerable populations, gender differences, interviewer training, and the influence of different crime types on confession decisions. Interviewers can reduce the likelihood of false confessions by using evidence-based interviewing practices that minimize suggestibility and avoid creating opportunities for confabulation. One of the most important strategies is maintaining a neutral interviewing style that avoids leading, repetitive, or coercive questions. Interviewers should allow individuals to admit when they do not remember an event rather than pressuring them to provide an answer. Stolzenberg and Pezdek (2013) explain that forced confabulation occurs when interviewers continue to pressure witnesses or suspects after they have expressed uncertainty, increasing the likelihood that inaccurate information becomes incorporated into memory. Similarly, Farrugia (2025) emphasizes that accusatory interrogation techniques, deception, lengthy interrogations, and psychologically manipulative tactics substantially increase the risk of false confessions, particularly among vulnerable individuals. Recording interviews, allowing breaks, avoiding promises of leniency, and using information-gathering rather than confession-driven interviewing methods can further improve the reliability of statements. Looking for a response to the post..