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J Nonverbal Behav (2009) 33:5969 DOI 10.1007/s10919-008-0057-7
ORIGINAL PAPER
Gemma Warren Elizabeth Schertler Peter Bull
Published online: 4 November 2008 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2008
Abstract Encoders were video recorded giving either truthful or deceptive descriptions of video footage designed to generate either emotional or unemotional responses. Decoders were asked to indicate the truthfulness of each item, what cues they used in making their judgements, and then to complete both the Micro Expression Training Tool (METT) and Subtle Expression Training Tool (SETT). Although overall performance on the deception detection task was no better than chance, performance for emotional lie detection was signicantly above chance, while that for unemotional lie detection was signicantly below chance. Emotional lie detection accuracy was also signicantly positively correlated with reported use of facial expressions and with performance on the SETT, but not on the METT. The study highlights the importance of taking the type of lie into account when assessing skill in deception detection.
Keywords Deception detection Emotion SETT METT
Deception, whether through omission or direct falsication, is a fundamental part of human social interaction (DePaulo et al. 2003). Deception may refer to anything from trivial, so-called white lies, to situations in which the consequences of detected deception are graveespecially those involving the law. Although many lies are uncovered due to physical evidence or to the presence of third-party information (Park et al. 2002), sometimes this may be insufcient or even non-existent. In such contexts, lie detectors (such as law enforcement agents) may be forced to rely on other cues, such as nonverbal behavior, as indicators of a statements truth or falsehood.
G. Warren (&) E. Schertler P. Bull
Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK e-mail: [email protected]
Present address:E. Schertler
National Academy of Parenting Practitioners, Institute of Psychiatry, London WC2R 1HH, UK
Detecting Deception from Emotional and Unemotional Cues
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60 J Nonverbal Behav (2009) 33:5969
Despite beliefs to the contrary, research thus far has indicated that most individuals accuracy at lie detection is relatively poor. A recent meta-analysis by Bond and DePaulo (2006) found that participants displayed a signicant, but modest, 54% accuracy rate when identifying items as either truthful or deceptive. This is similar to the accuracy ratings found in previous reviews (Vrij...