Detecting Deception
Deception (see pp. 35-40 in your textbook)
The concepts of deception and lying are often discussed in Chapters covering Nonverbal Communication because it is commonly believed that nonverbal cues (e.g., lack of eye contact, fidgeting, etc.) are the best way to tell if someone is lying. Is observing nonverbal cues the only way to detect deception, though? Dr. Tim Levine, the author of the "Deception" section in your textbook, discusses years of research to show that paying attention to nonverbal cues is often an unreliable method of detecting deception. He advances several different theories showing that other factors--such as what people say and whether people have a motive to lie--are actually more telling than nonverbal behaviors when it comes to catching people in a lie.
Dr. Levine's most developed theory is the Projected Motive Model. This model advances the following ideas:
People tend to believe others unless they think the other person has some motive to lie
When people infer that others have a reason to lie—that is, they project a motive—they become suspicious
People who do not have a motive to lie are almost always honest
Dr. Levine's main argument here is that paying attention to nonverbal cues alone is not enough to accurately detect deception. Many honest people exhibit the classic signs of deception (e.g., avoiding eye contact, fidgeting, speaking in shaky or timid voice, etc.) because the interrogation is making them nervous or because of their personality. That's why some people fail polygraph tests even when they are telling the truth! Thus, according to Dr. Levine, in order to accurately detect deception, you must first suspect that a person has a MOTIVE to lie. Once you determine that they might have a reason to lie, then observing their nonverbal behaviors might help you accurately detect when someone is lying. However, without suspecting motive, their nonverbal cues have little meaning.
Watch the following clip from 11:35-12:44 minutes.
You'll see former presidential candidate denying that he is the father of campaign aide's child. In the video, Kerry says "Yes" he is willing to take a paternity test but simultaneously shakes his head "No." The conflict between his words ( saying "yes") and his nonverbal actions (shaking his head "no") would be difficult to pick up if you did not suspect that he had a motive to lie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_6vDLq64gE
NOTE: If you aren't familiar with this story, John Kerry was lying about not being the father. What was his motive for lying? His reputation and political career were on the line!
Another theory advanced by Dr. Levine is that it's important to examine the content of others' message within the given context.By paying attention to what people are saying and the context surrounding the communication, we increase our chances of accurately detecting deception.
Watch the following video from 7:30 - 8:45 minutes. This excerpt shows Bill Clinton's famous denial regarding his relationship with Monica Lewinsky. In addition to having a motive to lie, you'll also see that the content of his message suggests that he might not be telling the truth.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_6vDLq64gE
As the Ted Talk speaker points out, Clinton's nonverbal cues are not as important as the actual words that he says (i.e., the content).
NOTE: It is not required, but I recommend watching the entire Ted Talk. She provides an interesting perspective on "how to spot a liar," and she sometimes contradicts some of Dr. Levine's claims about the role of nonverbal behaviors in detecting deception. However, if you pay close attention, you'll notice that she does support his argument that there are many important factors other than nonverbal cues to consider when attempting to catch someone on a lie. Further, watching this video will stimulate your thinking for the deception discussion post.
