Recency principle

The Recency Principle is described by the Roger Shuy in the journal Language Log.^[1]

It is used by police interrogators to have a subject incriminate himself without realizing it, and more importantly, without speaking further about the topic. It exploits a known phenomenon where people focus on the most recent topic.^[2] By quickly shifting to an unrelated topic after something incriminating was said, the interrogator can avoid having to elaborate on the statement, and avoid protest from the subject.

References

1. http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/002928.html
2. David C. Leonard (2002). Learning theories, A to Z. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 160. ISBN 978-1-57356-413-7. Retrieved 4 February 2012.