Interrogative suggestibility: Its relationship with assertiveness, social‐evaluative anxiety, state anxiety and method of coping

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
This paper attempts to investigate empirically in 30 subjects some of the theoretical components related to individual differences that are thought by Gudjonsson and 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 suggestibiity, particularly after negative feedback had been administered. Coping methods (active-cognitive/behavioural vs. avoidance) significantly predicted suggestibiity scores. The findings give strong support to the theoretical model of Gudjonsson and Clark.