Season 3, Episode 11 “Gone” – Rehearsing

The mother’s rehearsed statement should raise question about whether she is being truthful; however, sometimes people under suspicion who are innocent but worried about being disbelieved, will, if they have the time, prepare and rehearse what they are going to say.

Season 3, Episode 11 “Gone” – Look Away

Loker correctly notes the husband is not looking at his wife doing the news conference, but the angling away could be a sign of anger for her negligence not a sign of lying in and of itself.

Season 3, Episode 11 “Gone” – Clenched Jaw

Jaw clenching is a sign of attempting to control one’s emotions, or it can also be a sign of oncoming anger, but it is not a sign of lying.

Season 3, Episode 11 “Gone” – Shaken and Stirred Up

Lightman explains the tactic he has developed over the shows in the last season, which is to shake people up so they will forget to hide their emotions. The problem is that the emotions are probably a reaction to being shaken up not necessarily about whether or not they are lying. I take a completely different tack: establishing a confidential and accepting atmosphere with questions that invite people to tell their story. Once you get people talking they often say more than they intended to say. Our research found that the more words spoken the easier it was to detect lies.