PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTACT: TERMINOLOGICAL ISSUES AND INTERROGATION EFFECTIVENESS

Abstract

The article problematizes the inconsistency scientific approaches to conceptual definition of the “psychological contact” phenomenon in the context of criminalistics, legal/ forensic psychology and communicativistics. Criminalistics’ approach defines the interrogation as tactical series and psychological contact as one of the tactics with psycho-behavioral components. Psychological approach defines the psychological contact as cooperative activity between the investigator and the “guilty” person with emotional, intellectual, psychological impacts of the investigator on the process and the results of the interrogation. Finally, communicative approach defines the psychological contact as ways of resolving conflict and the major factor determining its relevant interrogation’s effects. It is emphasized that the existing variety of definitions relates to both the understanding of the concept essence and the process of establishing the psychological contact. These contradictions between the approaches lead to uncertainty in the theory of studying the psychological contact’ phenomenon and to difficulties in the practical investigative activity in particular, low effectiveness of the interrogation results. It is found out that among factors, which determine whether psychological contact will have constructive or destructive impact on the process and the results of the interrogation, crucial is the type of relations between the investigator and the “guilty” person before their involvement in cooperative activity. Besides this follows from the fact that in the context of cooperative activity the type of relations between both interrogation’s parties as subjects of the legal relations is mediating investigator’s denying of the “confession culture of guiltiness”. The author substantiates the need to use the interdisciplines complex of knowledge and recommendations of criminalistics, psychological science, communicative theory and practice which should be adapted to the specifics of investigative activities in which they are implemented and they make it successful and effective interrogation.