Rapport: The Four Ways to Read People

Laurence and Emily Alison are forensic psychologists who specialize in high-stakes interpersonal interactions, including criminal interrogations. They advise and train police, security agencies, the FBI, and the CIA on dealing with dangerous suspects. Drawing on 30 years of work and access to 2,000 hours of terrorist interrogations, they have developed a model of interpersonal communication applicable to everyday difficult encounters—from neighbor disputes to workplace negotiations. Rapport identifies four interaction styles: Control (the lion), Capitulate (the mouse), Confront (the Tyrannosaur), and Co-operate (the monkey). By understanding these styles and clarifying your own goals, you can shape conversations and build rapport in any situation. The book applies this framework to interactions ranging from teenagers to high-risk suspects.