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The relationship between skin resistance responses (SRRs) and self-reported emotional disturbance was studied in 24 males and 24 females. SRRs to seven interrogation questions were recorded and subjects were requested to rate on visual analogue scales how disturbing they had found each question. The mean within subject correlations were significant for both groups, suggesting that electrodermal responses to interrogation questions are significantly related to the extent to which the subjects find such questions disturbing. A particular question may elicit disturbance for a number of reasons including embarrassment, conflict over how to answer the question, and fear of the consequences of possible detection.

This paper attempts to investigate empirically in 30 subjects some of the theoretical components related to individual differences that are thought by Gudjonsson & Clark (1986) to mediate interrogative suggestibility as measured by the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale (GSS; Gudjonsson, 1984a). The variables studied were: assertiveness, social-evaluative anxiety, state anxiety and the coping methods subjects are able to generate and implement during interrogation. Low assertiveness and high evaluative anxiety were found to correlate moderately with suggestibility, but no significant correlations emerged for 'social avoidance and distress'. State anxiety correlated significantly with suggestibility, particularly after negative feedback had been administered. Coping methods (active-cognitive/behavioural vs. avoidance) significantly predicted suggestibility scores. The findings give strong support to the theoretical model of Gudjonsson & Clark.

This paper provides an insight into the mechanism of a coerced-internalized type of false confession. The case involved an American airman who confessed to the murder of a close friend after "failing" four polygraph tests. Psychological and psychiatric reports were prepared at the request of the defence and the findings were presented at a military hearing. The airman's confession was ruled involuntary, leading to a dismissal of the charges. The authors discuss the case with reference to the relevant literature on false confession and pseudomemories.