Behavior Analysis Interview (BAI)
Definition
An interview technique developed by John Reid that involves a structured diagnostic question sequence and claims to differentiate truthful from deceptive subjects based on verbal and non-verbal behaviour. It is widely taught but its scientific validity for deception detection is contested.
- Developer
- John Reid
- Structure
- Standardised diagnostic question sequence
- Claimed basis
- Verbal and non-verbal deception cues
- Scientific status
- Validity for deception detection is contested
Common questions
What is the main scientific criticism of the BAI?+
Controlled studies have generally found that trained interviewers using BAI cues perform little better than chance at distinguishing truthful from deceptive subjects, and that the behavioural indicators it relies on, such as gaze aversion or posture shifts, lack consistent empirical support as deception markers.
How does the BAI relate to the Reid Technique of interrogation?+
The BAI is typically used as a preliminary, non-accusatory interview stage that precedes the confrontational Reid Technique interrogation, with the BAI's outcome nominally used to decide whether a subject should move into the accusatory phase.
Related terms
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- Cognitive Load
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- Free Narrative
- The uninterrupted portion of an interview in which the subject recounts events in their own words and order. Research consistently shows that...
- PEACE Model
- A structured interview framework used by UK law enforcement and increasingly by private investigators: Preparation and Planning, Engage and Explain, Account, Closure,...
- Reid Technique
- The dominant North American police interrogation method developed by John E. Reid and Fred Inbau (1962; 5th edition 2013). Characterised by a...