dr. L. Weiher (Lynn)

My research aims to 1) improve investigative interviewing practices aiming towards obtaining high-quality information by using evidence-based procedures. And 2), advance interview practices with vulnerable citizens.

Further, I test motion capture (XSens) as a bias free real time measure of rapport (i.e., mimicry) within interpersonal communication.

Organisations

I aim to 1) improve investigative interviewing practices aiming towards obtaining high-quality information by using evidence-based procedures. And 2), advance interview practices with vulnerable citizens:

1) Building directly from my PhD, I will use my expertise regarding interpersonal communication and rapport to realise facilitation of behaviour change. To develop a clearer understanding of the mechanism that explained how rapport can facilitate behaviour change, I plan to continue studying rapport combining motion capture suits and VR.

2) This theme develops my expertise in interpersonal communication and applies it to additional police-citizen interactions beyond the case of reluctant suspects. At present we have some understanding of the inputs (e.g. interview style) and the outcomes (e.g. disclosed information) but very limited understanding of the dynamic process of the interaction itself – especially in regard to vulnerable interviewees. E.g., I aim to develop training packages to improve interviewer conduct and help them to facilitate cooperation from interviewees that may find it especially difficult to engage in the interview process.

Other contributions

Peer Reviewed Papers

Weiher, L., Winters, C., Taylor, P., Luther, K., & Watson, S. J. (2026). The effect of tailored reciprocity on information provision in an investigative interview. Journal of Criminal Psychology, 16(1),  201-117. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCP-01-2024-0004

Weiher, L., Beukers, A., & Watson, S. J. (2025). The link between suspect verbosity during investigative interviews and observer‐rapport. Legal and Criminological Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/lcrp.70019

Weiher, L., Watson, S. J., Taylor, P. J., & Luther, K. (2025). How multiple interviews and interview framing influence the development and maintenance of rapport. Psychology, Crime & Law, 31(4), 414-438. https://doi.org/10.1080/1068316X.2023.2265527.

Oleszkiewicz, S., Weiher, L., & Mac Giolla, E. (2022). The adaptable law enforcement officer: Exploring adaptability in a covert police context. Legal and criminological psychology, 27(2), 265-282. https://doi.org/10.1111/lcrp.12209

Weiher, L. (2020). The impact of interview style on the development, maintenance, and transfer of rapport (Doctoral dissertation, Lancaster University). https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/149132/1/2020weiherphd.pdf

Weiher, L. (2021, December 16). An Academic Christmas Carol: A ghost story of Christmas. Retrieved    from osf.io/b934h (https://osf.io/45gxf/)

Taylor P., Banks F., Jolley D., Ellis D., Watson, S. J., Weiher, L., Davidson B. & Julku J. (2021) Oral hygiene effects verbal and nonverbal displays of confidence, The Journal of Social Psychology, 161:2, 182-196, DOI: 10.1080/00224545.2020.1784825

Weiher, L. (2020). The impact of interview style on the development, maintenance, and transfer of rapport (Doctoral dissertation, Lancaster University).

Peer Reviewed Conference Talks

Watson, S.J., Weiher, L., Dekker, L., Wessels, H., Rispens, I., & van Beek, M. (2026). Evaluating Training for Interviewing Vulnerable Suspects in the Netherlands: Police Detective’s   Experiences and Perceptions. Accepted at: International Investigative Interviewing Research Group in July 2026 in Leuven, Belgium.

Watson, S.J., Weiher, L., Bouma, D., Rispens, I., & van Beek, M. Interviewing vulnerable suspects in the Netherlands - Evaluating the vulnerability screening tool for interviewing suspects. Accepted at: International Investigative Interviewing Research Group in July 2026 in Leuven, Belgium.             

Watson, S.J., Bovendeerd, L., de Graaff, M., & Weiher, L. How Does the Content of a Lie Affect How Lies and Liars are Perceived? Accepted at: Behavioural and Social Sciences in Security Conference (BASS26), Cardiff University, UK

Weiher, L., Beukers, A., & Watson, S. J. (2025). The link between suspect verbosity during investigative interviews and observer‐rapport. Legal and Criminological Psychology.     Accepted at: International Investigative Interviewing Research Group in July 2026 in Leuven, Belgium.

Friehs, M.A., Acar A., Falkenberg L., Weegink Z., Sintemaartensdijk I., Weiher L., Jonas van Dijk, J., Dominguez Rodriguez, A. (2025). What you read is what you get – probing the effect of subtly sexualized & stereotypical narratives on avatar creation and imagination. Poster at the Media Psychology Conference 2025 in Duisburg, Germany.

Dekker, L., Wessels, H., Watson, S.J., Weiher, L., van Beek, M., & Rispens, I. (2024) Evaluatie van de  training Verhoren van Kwetsbare Verdachten. Wetenschapscongres 2024: Leren van onderzoek, Apeldoorn, Netherlands.

Bouma, D., Watson, S.J., Weiher, L., van Beek, M., & Rispens, I. (2024) Evaluating VIK: Detecting Vulnerabilities in Investigative Interview. Wetenschapscongres 2024: Leren van onderzoek, Apeldoorn, Netherlands.

Vermeulen, R., Weiher, L., & Watson, S.J. (2024). The Effect of Crime Type and Knowledge about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on the Judgement of Defendants with ASD. Paper presented at the European Association of Psychology and Law Conference, Monte de Caparica, Portugal.

Weiher, L., & Watson, S.J. (2024). The Impact of Physical Attractiveness, Gender of Defendants and Type of Crime on Sentencing Decisions. Paper presented at the European Association of  Psychology and Law Conference, Monte de Caparica, Portugal.

Watson, S.J., Gallmeister, D., Mitic, N., Schmuck, A., Weiher, L., & Wüller C. (2024). The efficacy of Denial of the Victim arguments within simulated coercive control suspect interviews on attributions of victim and suspect blame. Paper presented at the European Association of Psychology and Law Conference, Monte de Caparica, Portugal.

Weiher, L., Watson, S. J., & Luther, K. (2021). The impact of Interview Style on the   Development and Maintenance of Rapport while testing a novel measure for Rapport. Paper presented at the European Association of Psychology and Law Conference – Online.

Weiher, L., Watson, S. J., Luther, K., & Taylor, P. J. (2018, June). An investigation of rapport maintenance over multiple interviews – Does PEACE hold any advantage over Reid? Paper presented at the European Association of Psychology and Law Conference, Turku, Finland.

Weiher, L., Watson, S. J., Luther, K., & Taylor, P. J. (2018, June). An investigation of rapport maintenance over multiple interviews – Does PEACE hold any advantage over Reid? Paper presented at the CREST international conference on Behavioural and Social Sciences in Security, Lancaster, UK. 

Weiher, L., Watson, S. J., Luther, K., & Taylor, P. J. (2018, June). Capturing coordination to predict outcomes in investigative interviews: Can motion capture technology finally provide a reliable measure of rapport? Paper presented at the American Psychology-Law Society Conference, Memphis, Tennessee, USA[1].

Weiher, L., & Riesner, L. (2017, May). Beauty or the Beast? -  The impact of attractiveness, type of crime and gender on the general public’s need of punishment. Paper presented at the European Association of Psychology and Law Conference, Mechelen, Belgium. 

Weiher, L., Luther, K., & Taylor, P. J. (2017, June). Three-minute thesis. Paper presented at the Postgraduate Psychology Conference, Lancaster, UK. 

Invited Talks

Weiher, L. (2026, March). Neurodiversity in the Criminal Justice System. Lunch Lecture organised by the study organisation Psychology “EducaCie” presented for Bachelor and Master students, University of Twente, NL.

Weiher, L. (2025, September). Understanding & Supporting Neurodiversity – Autism & ADHD in students. Lecture presented for CreATE, University of Twente, NL.

Weiher, L. (2025, May). Understanding & Supporting Neurodiversity – Autism & ADHD in students and  teachers. Lecture presented at the Week of Education 2025, University of Twente, NL.

Weiher, L., Watson, S. J., Luther, K., & Taylor, P. J. (2019, May). Effects of the investigator's interviewing style on the establishment, maintenance and transference of rapport. Paper presented at the Psychology Seminar Series 2018/19 at Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. 

Poster presentations

Weiher, L., Watson, S. J., Luther K., & Taylor, P. J. (2018, September). The Role of Rapport in the Investigative Interview – Exploring Motion-Capture Equipment as a Potential Measure for Rapport. Poster presented at the CRESTfest, Cheltenham, UK. https://crestresearch.ac.uk/resources/weiher-rapport-investigative-interview/

Weiher, L., Winters, C., Taylor, P. J., & Luther, K. (2018, July). Reciprocity as social influence: The influence of social reciprocity on information provision in the investigative interview. Poster presented at the CREST international conference on Behavioural and Social Sciences in Security, Lancaster, UK. 

Weiher, L., Luther, K. & Taylor, P. J. (2017, November). Through the Looking Glass: Exploring the relationship between nonverbal and verbal behaviour on rapport and dyadic cooperation. Poster presented at the Defence and Security Doctoral Symposium 2017, Swindon, UK. https://crestresearch.ac.uk/resources/lynn-weiher-poster/

Weiher, L., Luther, K. & Taylor, P. J. (2017, November). Through the Looking Glass: Exploring the relationship between nonverbal and verbal behaviour on rapport and dyadic cooperation. Poster presented at the CREST conference, Reading, UK.  

Courses academic year 2025/2026

Courses in the current academic year are added at the moment they are finalised in the Osiris system. Therefore it is possible that the list is not yet complete for the whole academic year.

Courses academic year 2024/2025

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Organisations