Probing Effect

Behavioral Adaptation Explanation Debate

The explanation most commonly accepted for the probing effect is the behavioral adaptation explanation (BAE). The BAE speculates that as the source is probed, the individual will pick up on any potential suspicion from the receiver and, as a result, strategically adapt his or her behavior in an effort to appear more honest. It is reasoned that through the extended interaction, the source may think that the receiver is suspicious of the veracity of the responses because of the extra or probing questions. Thus, the source will behaviorally adapt in an effort to assuage the suspicion. There is, however, a contentious academic debate around the empirical support of this explanation.

The BAE postulates a three-link causal chain: (1) probing with additional questions alerts the message source that the receiver is suspicious, (2) the recognition of potential suspicion causes the source to purposefully and strategically adapt his or her behavior in an effort to appear more truthful, and (3) the change or adaptation of the source's behavior results in a more honest perception of the receiver, relative to a nonprobed source.

Criticisms of the BAE are focused on two main areas. The first is the lack of clarity around which behavioral cues are altered by probed sources in an effort to appear more honest. There is a debate over what constitutes stereotypical cues to deceit, whether these are in fact the behaviors that are adapted, and if laypersons would possess the level of information required to alter such behaviors in an effective manner. Second, there is considerable concern around the empirical support of the predicted links that compose the BAE. There is trepidation about a potential overemphasis on what support has been found and perhaps misinterpretation of a variety of statistical tests utilized to assess the data collected.

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