Detecting Lies and Deceit: Pitfalls and Opportunities

Everybody lies.—Gregory House, MD There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.—Mark Twain

A fundamental principle in all forensic work is to beware of malingering by the examinee in every forensic examination done for any purpose whatsoever. Because there is always an interest at stake, the need for help that governs traditional clinical work does not usually apply. The present book addresses this core concept from the standpoint of lying and deception and their detection. It is part of the Wiley Series in the Psychology of Crime, Policing and Law.

The author is Professor of Social Psychology at the University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom, and his main area of specialization appears to be nonverbal and verbal cues to deception and lie detection. He is described as an advisor to police on interviewing suspects and as an expert witness who also gives worldwide lectures and workshops on lie detection. He notes that the impetus for this second edition (published relatively soon after the first edition in 2000) derived from the terror attacks and security concerns that have placed a premium on obtaining truthful information.

The book itself is divided into 15 chapters (the first, an introduction) and an epilogue, as well as a preface and reference section. The author notes that this edition attempts to marshal the research data in “a comprehensive review of deception research published to date”; he uses “lying” and “deception” interchangeably. The book is intended to discuss “nonverbal, verbal, and physiological indicators of deceit and the ability to detect lies on the basis of these indicators.” Subsequent chapters are devoted to each of these topics. The text is punctuated with boxed sections that serve as extended but optional footnotes to ideas noted in the surrounding text.

The introduction begins provocatively and amusingly by stating some “facts” about lies and liars and then revealing that these are all myths. This section goes on to debunk claims of accurate lie detection that are not supported by the literature. Indeed, the various chapters continue the practice of challenging widely accepted myths about lying, including views held by professionals whose roles, such as law enforcement, require good lie detection. Some widely used lie detection instruments are similarly challenged. There seems to be no single cue that a person is lying that is comparable to Pinocchio's growing nose. Subsequent chapters cover topics such as why it is difficult to catch liars and how interviewers can improve their lie detection skills.

Although the book is one of the most densely researched that I have read, the content is leavened by social and even popular digressions, such as why people lie, how lying is part of everyday life, and how lying is a social lubricant. The author himself, realizing the level of detail achieved in this comprehensive work, admits that the book is not meant to be read through but to be dipped into when questions arise about deception. This reviewer concurs with that approach.

The book clearly represents a kind of high-water mark for research in lie detection and deception. Both for valuable information in forensic assessments and to address concerns raised in court on cross-examination, this is an extremely valuable contribution to the forensic literature.

• American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law