Complications and consistency: Investigating the Asymmetric Information Management ‘AIM’ technique with repeated statements

The Asymmetric Information Management (AIM) technique enhances lie-detection by encouraging truth tellers to adopt a verbally forthcoming reporting strategy and liars a withholding one. We investigated the effectiveness of this technique using repeated statements. We predicted that (i) truth tellers in the AIM condition would provide more new and overall detail, with a higher proportion of complications, compared to control truth tellers, whereas (ii) AIM liars would use more self-handicapping strategies and common knowledge details, with fewer commissions, repetitions, and less overall detail than control liars. This was tested using a mixed-factors design in which truth tellers (n = 65) gave an honest recollection of a recent trip while liars fabricated a story (n = 62). Participants provided an initial statement and half received the AIM instructions prior to providing their second statement. Our findings show that truth tellers in the AIM condition provide more new detail in their second statement than truth telling controls (d = 0.91). However, unlike previous research, AIM instructions had a similar (but smaller effect) on liars’ statements (d = 0.49). There were no differences between other measures. In sum, AIM is a promising technique for lie detection. It elicits new information from truth tellers and distinguishes them from liars, which should prove useful for investigators seeking fresh leads