Priming and Its Effects in Obtaining Forensically Relevant Information
Authors:   Main Forensic Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Bessonov Alexey A. ,   Moscow Academy of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, Gaivoronskaya Alexandra A. ,   Main Forensic Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation
Published: December 2021

The article deals with the phenomenon of priming, its effects in obtaining and evaluating the testimony of interrogated persons in criminal cases. The problem of obtaining evidence is central to the criminal process and is considered as a system of actions of participants in the preliminary investigation related to the knowledge and modeling of past events, forecasting the investigation process in the future and obtaining evidentiary and orienting information. The analysis of the studied materials of criminal cases on 1,300 crimes against life and health, sexual integrity and sexual freedom of the individual showed that, in the structure of evidence, the testimony of witnesses, victims, accused persons (suspects) occupies more than a half (54.7%). An important role in obtaining and evaluating the testimony of persons questioned in a criminal case is played by priming, which promotes the activation of behavioral and trace manifestations of human memory in order to reproduce complete and objective forensically significant information in the testimony. The object of the study was the activity of the interrogator and the interrogated person video recorded during the criminal proceedings in the situation of interrogation. The empirical basis of the study was materials of more than 250 criminal cases (murders, rapes, crimes against property, etc.), of which more than 302 video materials of interrogations were viewed. When the interrogated person is ready to give evidence, but for some reason (physiological, psychological) cannot do it, the use of priming effects will help to change this situation in a favorable direction. In conflict situations of interrogation, the use of priming effects helps to correct the unconscious manifestations of psychological defenses, reduce the manifestations of psychological trauma, and establish psychological contact. The analysis of the content of information at an unconscious level, the search for features and categories (comparison with memory standards) is associated with the detection of this information in the space (array) of implicit memory; at the same time, the criteria for such a selection are determined by long-term memory that preserves standards, motivational attitudes and ways of processing input information. Local effects of unconscious information are reflected in conscious cognitive activity, especially in the study of investigative situations. The use of such tactics contributes to the investigation of crimes. The potential for using priming effects in conducting investigative actions aimed at obtaining the testimony of participants in the pretrial stage of criminal proceedings (witnesses, victims, suspects, accused persons) expands the possibilities for obtaining information. The tactic of using priming in the investigation of criminal acts requires a deeper scientific study and experimental confirmation.