Interrogationis

Interrogationis is a term used in discussions of information elicitation to denote the study or practice of questioning with the aim of obtaining reliable information. In many uses it functions as a neutral, umbrella label for exploring how interrogation methods affect truth-seeking, memory reliability, and rights protection. The term is often applied in theoretical, interdisciplinary contexts that bring together criminology, psychology, ethics, and linguistics to compare interview and interrogation dynamics, evaluate the influence of interviewer behavior, and analyze outcomes for suspects, witnesses, and researchers.

Etymology and usage: Interrogationis derives from Latin interrogatio, “a questioning,” plus the Latin plural-like ending -is to form a Latinized field name. In English-language discourse the form interrogationis is sometimes used in speculative or fiction-adjacent texts to signal a formal discipline, though it remains far from established as a real-world field.

Scope and debates: Proponents emphasize ethical safeguards, voluntary consent, and legal compliance, while critics warn against coercive tendencies and false memory or confession risks. The discipline typically differentiates between non-coercive interviewing and more intrusive interrogation techniques, focusing on methodological rigor, transparency, and accountability.

Contexts: The term appears most often in theoretical glossaries, speculative essays, and role-playing or game-design discussions that seek to model information flow and legitimacy in investigative settings. Real-world scholarship more commonly addresses interrogation under the headings of interviewing, investigative psychology, or law and ethics.

Related topics include interrogation, interviewing, compliance, memory reliability, false confession, consent, and ethics of interrogation.