How should an interviewer use silence effectively during questioning?

• A. Always fill every pause with questions to maintain pace.
• B. Ignore nonverbal cues and keep talking.
• C. Use strategic pauses to prompt memory; avoid filling gaps with guesses; observe nonverbal cues; ensure comfort.
• D. Silence has no impact on the interview.

Answer: (C)

Deliberate silence is a powerful interviewing tool. Pauses give the interviewee space to retrieve memories and organize thoughts, often producing more detailed and accurate responses. When you pause after a question, you avoid rushing them to guess or fabricate, and you encourage them to reveal information they might withhold if pressed too quickly. During these silences, you also observe nonverbal cues—fidgeting, gaze shifts, posture, microexpressions—that can signal hesitation or truthfulness and help you adjust your line of questioning. Importantly, the pauses should help the interviewee feel comfortable, not pressured, because a relaxed environment supports fuller disclosure. Silences that are too long can be counterproductive, but well-timed pauses are brief and purposeful, keeping control of the pace while letting memory surface. Filling every pause with more questions can push memory toward guessing; ignoring nonverbal cues means missing important signals; saying silence has no impact ignores how pauses can enhance recall and comfort.