Deception Detection

Pamela Meyer, author of 'Lie-Spotting,' describes the art of spotting dishonest behavior as an understanding of the scientific facts associated with deception. Lies can either be harmless or very harmful. The author explains how a lie's power emerges when someone agrees to accept that lie. Meyer describes lying as an attempt to connect our fantasies and wishes with reality, stating that we are lied to two to two hundred times a day. She further explains how we are against lying but also covertly for it. Lying is an evolutionary value for our species. Babies fake cries, toddlers conceal, four-year-old infants lie with flattery, college students deceive their parents and adults are contributing to a deception epidemic and living in a post-truth society.

The author lists the important steps used by trained lie spotters including the examination of speech patterns and body language characteristics. She also puts emphasis on attitude as the most overlooked but important factor in deception detection. We rehearse our words but not our gestures. Science has surfaced a multitude of indicators for deception but lie spotters must learn to rely on human tools.