Self-monitoring style and levels of interrogative suggestibility

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between self-monitoring, as a measure of attention to cues for socially appropriate behaviour, and levels of interrogative suggestibility as measured by the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale 1 (GSS 1). It was hypothesised that high self-monitors would be more sensitive to the interrogative pressure associated with the administration of these scales and would therefore gain higher suggestibility scores than low self-monitors. Forty participants took part in the study. Results supported the hypothesis and demonstrated that high self-monitors scored significantly higher than low self-monitors on all four of the suggestibility measures on the GSS 1. The results support previous findings which indicate that interviewees most concerned with managing their internal states show higher levels of suggestibility. Implications for forensic interviewing practice are considered.