Guilt Status and Stress on Miranda Decision-making

Abstract

Miranda rights are an essential part of the interrogation process and can help protect against false confessions. However, many suspects still choose to waive their rights and forego these protections. Past research has suggested that stress, guilt status, and procedural justice views may be risk factors for increasing waiver rates. This in-person study aimed to examine the impact of these different factors on waiver decisions after participants were accused of committing a mock crime and read their Miranda rights. I also explored how guilt status and stress influenced Miranda comprehension. Participants were randomly assigned a stress condition (elevated or baseline) and a guilt status (guilty or innocent). Participants were also given a 12-item procedural justice measure and a Miranda comprehension measure to complete. Data analysis revealed no significant results regarding the impact of these factors on waiver rates or comprehension. Given my study’s limitations, more research should be conducted in this area to ensure that interrogation processes and Miranda warnings are given the appropriate reforms to ensure a protective safeguard against wrongful convictions due to false confessions.