Eliciting information in official Finnish asylum interviews

Abstract Previous research has indicated that asylum interviewers—contrary to recommendations—use more closed than open questions elicit information. In the current study, we investigated how information is elicited in interviews by analyzing question‐answer pairs 105 official Finnish interview transcripts. We developed a new coding framework for content and characteristics of answers used previously collected data on questions. As predicted, found key aspects claims other question types. further extend previous showing free recall phases only half all mis‐matched difficult or unanswerable were alarmingly common. Interviewers would benefit from training asking questions, creating maintaining rapport, resolving misunderstandings, increasing efficacy phase.