What effect does stress have on a suspect's communication skills?

Stress significantly impacts a suspect's communication skills, often leading to confusion and hesitation. When individuals experience stress, especially during high-pressure situations like interrogations, their cognitive functioning can be impaired. This can result in difficulties organizing thoughts clearly, leading to less coherent statements and an increased likelihood of hesitating before answering questions. Stress can trigger a fight-or-flight response, diverting focus from effective communication to self-preservation, causing individuals to struggle to articulate their thoughts and feelings accurately. This chaotic mental state may also lead to inconsistent narratives, as the stress inhibits clear thinking and processing of information. Understanding this aspect of human behavior is crucial for law enforcement professionals during interrogations, as it helps them interpret a suspect's responses more accurately and approach the situation with empathy and awareness of the psychological impact of stress.