Educing Information: Interrogation - National Intelligence University

technique; Rafaeli and Sutton, 1991); or push the choice into the future, because
distant prospects are more optimistic and less driven by “avoidance” forces
(Knowles and Linn, 2004).
II. Address Resistance Directly
Another category of approaches seeks to reduce resistance by addressing or
assuaging its causes directly. This might be done either by offering some guarantee
that the most feared outcome will not occur or by arguing against the reasons for
the target’s resistance.
III. Address Resistance Indirectly
Alternatively, one could choose to address resistance in a more indirect way
by removing the “need” for resistance. One strategy is to bolster the target’s sense
of competence and self-esteem (Jacks and O’Brien, 2004); another is to focus
the resistance by casting the target in a different social role, such as that of the
expert.
IV. Distract Resistance
Distraction can also reduce resistance. Resistance requires some attention
to be optimally effective. Petty and Cacioppo (1986) have proposed a model
of attitude change called the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM). The basic
premise is that when people have both motivation and ability, they prefer to
process a persuasive message through a “central route” in which the response
derives from a careful analysis of the message quality. A mild distraction can
occupy the target’s attention, thereby diminishing his/her resources available to
counter-argue or otherwise critically analyze the quality of the message (Haaland
and Venkatesan, 1968; Petty and Brock, 1981; Knowles and Linn, 2004).
V. Disrupt Resistance
One of the most fascinating — and potentially promising — categories
of counter-resistance strategies involves disruption. As with the distraction
strategies, the goal of disruption is to occupy the resistance process so that the
persuasive message is delivered without hindrance. Disruption — as the term
is used here — differs from an external distraction such as a loud noise. Instead,
the disruption is delivered as part of the message, but is designed to create mild
and momentary confusion (for example, by transposing “Code of Conduct” into
“Conduct of Code”). According to the research, confusion reduces resistance, and
can be a particularly effective tool of influence when combined with a follow-up
persuasive message (reframe). Some studies have determined that the disruption
must be mild and must occur before the reframing to get the desired effect.
Obviously, it could be nearly impossible to implement such a subtle strategy
when communicating through a translator, but the effects of the technique shown
to date mark it as worthy of further consideration.
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