What Works in Behavioural Recognition? A Systematic Review

Katie Toolin et al.

Applied Cognitive Psychology2026https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.70153article
AJG 2ABDC B
Weight
0.50

Abstract

Over the last few decades, a growing evidence base for investigative interviewing techniques has informed practitioners and policy‐makers worldwide and promoted ethical information elicitation. Many of these techniques rely on elements of behavioural recognition (i.e., our ability to accurately interpret a behavioural or emotional response) to improve communication and cooperation. The current systematic review examined existing literature on ‘what works’ in behavioural recognition across multiple disciplines to address the following question: can we accurately interpret the dynamic behaviour of others? A total of 55 research articles were evaluated, discovering mixed findings across multiple areas. Demographics, individual differences (e.g., emotional intelligence), interview parameters (e.g., contextual knowledge and motivation), interview strategies (e.g., cue detection and thought strategies), and interviewee presentation were all important areas of consideration. However, most importantly, the findings suggest that behavioural recognition is a trainable skill, highlighting the need for further empirical research to be conducted in this area.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.70153

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@article{katie2026,
  title        = {{What Works in Behavioural Recognition? A Systematic Review}},
  author       = {Katie Toolin et al.},
  journal      = {Applied Cognitive Psychology},
  year         = {2026},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.70153},
}

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Evidence weight

0.50

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20
M · momentum0.50 × 0.15 = 0.07
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.