Increasing honest responding on cognitive distortions in child molesters: the bogus pipeline revisited.
Questionnaires are relied upon by forensic psychologists, clinicians, researchers, and social services to assess child molesters' (CMs') offense-supportive beliefs (or cognitive distortions). In this study, we used an experimental procedure to evaluate whether extrafamilial CMs underreported their questionnaire-assessed beliefs. At time one, 41 CMs were questionnaire-assessed under standard conditions (i.e., they were free to impression manage). At time two, CMs were questionnaire-assessed again; 18 were randomly attached to a convincing fake lie detector (a bogus pipeline), the others were free to impression manage. The results showed that bogus pipeline CMs significantly increased cognitive distortion endorsements compared to their own previous endorsements, and their control counterparts' endorsements. The findings are the first experimental evidence showing that CMs consciously depress their scores on transparent questionnaires.
Gannon
Theresa A
TA
Department of Psychology, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NP, UK. T.A.Gannon@Kent.ac.uk
Keown
Kirsten
K
Polaschek
Devon L L
DL
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D003417:Criminal Psychology; D006801:Humans; D008014:Lie Detection; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D010469:Perceptual Distortion; D012650:Self Disclosure; D014342:Truth Disclosure