description
In crisis situations such as hostage scenarios, kidnappings, or personal crises, trained police crisis negotiators aim to guide individuals toward peaceful resolutions while minimizing harm. Effective communication is essential in these high-stakes situations, enabling negotiators to de-escalate, build trust, and gather critical information. Active listening forms the bedrock of these interactions, helping negotiators establish rapport and encourage the person in crisis (PiC) to share information. The information shared by the PiC—referred to as information disclosure—serves multiple purposes. It not only provides negotiators with valuable tactical insights but may also facilitate rapport-building, and enable more targeted influence strategies based on the PiC’s circumstances. Insights from other fields, such as investigative interviewing and in therapeutic settings, reveal that self-disclosure by the interviewer or therapist can enhance rapport, and encourage reciprocal information sharing (see Dianiska et al., 2024; Gabbert et al., 2021; Henretty & Levitt, 2010). However, the application of these concepts in the context of crisis negotiations remains underexplored.
In crisis negotiations, where emotions run high and time is critical, questions remain whether negotiator self-disclosure affects information reciprocity, trust, and rapport. These factors are, however, crucial to de-escalate situations and guiding the PiC toward resolution (Vecchi et al., 2019).
This bachelor thesis project invites students to explore the concepts of information disclosure and self-disclosure in the context of a high stake situations.
Research questions
Exact research questions will be determined based on student interests after discussion. Example research questions include:
· How does negotiator self-disclosure affect the quantity of information disclosed by the PiC in simulated crisis scenarios?
· How does negotiator self-disclosure impact the quality (e.g., depth, relevance) of information shared by the PiC?
· How does negotiator self-disclosure influence the perception of trust and rapport in simulated crisis scenarios?
· What is the relationship between a participant's perceived trust in the negotiator and their willingness to disclose information?
· How does information disclosure evolve throughout the negotiation?
Type of research
Most likely an online survey with a crisis scenario but the set-up depends on the specific research questions. Research methods can be quantitative, qualitative, experimental, or involve a mixed approach.
Key words
Crisis negotiations, information disclosure, self-disclosure, trust, rapport, active listening, reciprocity
Literature
- Dianiska, R. E., Simpson, E., & Quas, J. A. (2024). Rapport building with adolescents to enhance reporting and disclosure. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 238, 105799. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105799
- Gabbert, F., Hope, L., Luther, K., Wright, G., Ng, M., & Oxburgh, G. (2021). Exploring the use of rapport in professional information-gathering contexts by systematically mapping the evidence base. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 35(2), 329–341. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3762
- Henretty, J. R., & Levitt, H. M. (2010). The role of therapist self-disclosure in psychotherapy: A qualitative review. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(1), 63–77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2009.09.004
- Ireland, C. A., & Vecchi, G. M. (2009). The Behavioral Influence Stairway Model (BISM): A framework for managing terrorist crisis situations? Behavioral Sciences of Terrorism and Political Aggression, 1(3), 203–218. https://doi.org/10.1080/19434470903017722
- van der Klok, N., Oostinga, M. S. D., Russel, L. C., & Yansick, M. A. (2024). Accelerating Influence: Challenging the Linear Paradigm of Suicide Negotiation. https://crestresearch.ac.uk/comment/accelerating-influence-challenging-the-linear-paradigm-of-suicide-negotiation/
- Vecchi, G. M., Van Hasselt, V. B., & Romano, S. J. (2005). Crisis (hostage) negotiation: Current strategies and issues in high-risk conflict resolution. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 10(5), 533–551. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2004.10.001
- Vecchi, G. M., Wong, G. K. H., Wong, P. W. C., & Markey, M. A. (2019). Negotiating in the skies of Hong Kong: The efficacy of the Behavioral Influence Stairway Model (BISM) in suicidal crisis situations. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 48, 230–239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2019.08.002
- Wells, S., Taylor, P. J., & Giebels, E. (2013). Crisis negotiation: From suicide to terrorism intervention. In M. Olekalns & W. L. Adair (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Negotiation (pp. 473–496). Edward Elgar Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781781005903.00029
Information
This project is open to 2 students.
Are you interested in this topic for your thesis? Please contact the theme coordinator Lynn Weiher: l.weiher@utwente.nl