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 significantly above chance, while that for unemotional lie detection was significantly below chance. Emotional lie detection accuracy was also significantly 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.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bond, C. F., & DePaulo, B. M. (2006). Accuracy of deception judgements. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 10(3), 214–234.
DePaulo, B. M., Kirkendol, S. E., Tang, J., & O’Brien, T. P. (1988). The motivational impairment effect in the communication of deception. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 12(3), 177–202.
DePaulo, B. M., Lanier, K., & Davis, T. (1983). Detecting deceit of the motivated liar. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 45, 1096–1103.
DePaulo, B. M., Lindsay, J. J., Malone, B. E., Muhlenbruck, L., Charlton, K., & Cooper, H. (2003). Cues to deception. Psychological Bulletin, 129(1), 74–118.
Ekman, P. (2001). Telling lies: Clues to deceit in the marketplace, politics, and marriage. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Ekman, P. (2002). MicroExpression training tool (METT). San Francisco: University of California.
Ekman, P., & Friesen, W. V. (1969). Nonverbal leakage and clues to deception. Psychiatry, 32, 88–105.
Ekman, P., & Friesen, W. V. (1974). Detecting deception from the body or face. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 29(3), 288–298.
Ekman, P., & Friesen, W. V. (1975). Unmasking the face. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Ekman, P., Friesen, W. V., & Hager, J. C. (2002). The facial action coding system (2nd ed.). London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson.
Ekman, P., Friesen, W. V., & O’Sullivan, M. (1988). Smiles when lying. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 414–420.
Ekman, P., Levenson, R. W., & Friesen, W. V. (1983). Autonomic nervous system activity distinguishes among emotions. Science, 221(4616), 1208–1210.
Ekman, P., & O’Sullivan, M. (1991). Who can catch a liar? American Psychologist, 46(9), 913–920.
Ekman, P., O’Sullivan, M., & Frank, M. G. (1999). A few can catch a liar. Psychological Science, 10(3), 263–266.
Ekman, P., O’Sullivan, M., Friesen, W. V., & Scherer, K. R. (1991). Face, voice and body in detecting deceit. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 15(2), 125–135.
Frank, M. G., & Ekman, P. (1997). The ability to detect deceit generalizes across different types of high-stake lies. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 72(6), 1429–1439.
Kraut, R. E. (1980). Humans as lie detectors: Some second thoughts. Journal of Communication, 30, 209–216.
Mann, S., Vrij, A., & Bull, R. (2002). Suspects, lies and videotape: An analysis of authentic high-stake liars. Law and Human Behaviour, 26(3), 365–376.
Matsumoto, D., LeRoux, J., Wilson-Cohn, C., Raroque, J., Kooken, K., Ekman, P., et al. (2000). A new test to measure emotion recognition ability: Matsumoto and Ekman’s Japanese and Caucasian brief affect recognition test (JACBART). Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 24(3), 179–209.
O’Sullivan, M., Ekman, P., & Friesen, W. V. (1988). The effect of comparisons on detecting deceit. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 17(3), 203–215.
Park, H. S., Levine, T. R., McCornack, S. A., Morrison, K., & Ferrara, M. (2002). How people really detect lies. Communication Monographs, 69(2), 144–157.
Scherer, K. R. (1986). Vocal affect expression: A review and a model for the future. Psychological Bulletin, 99(2), 143–165.
Vrij, A. (2000). Detecting lies and deceit: The psychology of lying and the implications for professional practice. Chichester: Wiley.
Vrij, A., Edward, K., & Bull, R. (2001). Stereotypical verbal and nonverbal responses while deceiving others. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(7), 899–909.
Vrij, A., Edward, K., Roberts, K. P., & Bull, R. (2000). Detecting deceit via analysis of verbal and nonverbal behavior. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior, 24(4), 239–263.
Zuckerman, M., DePaulo, B. M., & Rosenthal, R. (1981). Verbal and nonverbal communication of deception. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology (Vol. 14, pp. 1–57). New York: Academic Press.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Warren, G., Schertler, E. & Bull, P. Detecting Deception from Emotional and Unemotional Cues. J Nonverbal Behav 33, 59–69 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10919-008-0057-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10919-008-0057-7