What is a lie? Per my definition, a lie or deceit occurs when one person intends to mislead another or others, doing so deliberately without giving prior notification of said …
Nonverbal communication and deception
Can you tell from someone’s body language whether they are lying?
If you’ve been following Dr. Ekman’s work, you’ll know there is no single, definitive sign that we can count on to let us know with absolute certainty that someone …
Catching a Liar: Why is it so hard to spot a lie?
Reasons why we are not skilled at spotting lies
Research suggests that most people cannot tell from demeanor whether someone is lying or telling the truth. Such poor performance is not because lies are told flawlessly. Most liars make …
How to Detect Lies by Analyzing Facial Expression
The importance of context in Micro Expression Detection
Micro expressions can occur either as the result of conscious suppression or unconscious repression of emotions. As such, spotting micro expressions (or analyzing facial expressions) is key to learning how …
Errors in Detecting Lies
Dangers and Precautions when Catching Lies
When it comes to deception and catching lies, there are a number of common errors you need to be wary of. The two biggest failures of judgment in deception detection …
Do lie detectors actually work?
A deception detection expert’s account of the polygraph exam
Is it called a lie detector or a polygraph? First created in 1921 by a law enforcement officer, the polygraph machine’s sole purpose was to track moment-to-moment physiological changes in …
Lying to hide your feelings
Here’s what happens when you try to conceal emotions
Excerpt from Telling Lies A failure to think ahead, plan fully, and rehearse the false line is only one of the reasons why mistakes that furnish clues to deceit are …
Suppressed Emotions and Deception: The Discovery of Micro Expressions
From emotional expressions research to modern micro expressions
Excerpt from Emotions Revealed pp. 213-215 Suppressed emotions versus truthfulness It was not my idea to find out how emotions might be useful in evaluating truthfulness. The question arose nearly …
Deception & Lying Quiz Can you tell if someone is lying?
Take this deception quiz to find out how much you know about the signs and reasons for lying.
Psychologist Paul Ekman: Getting to Know the Man Behind the Success
An Intimate Paul Ekman Interview
December 26, 2018 The world knows Dr. Ekman as a celebrated research psychologist, a best-selling author, a sought-after scientific advisor to Hollywood, and even a “brother” to the Dalai Lama. …
Why Do People Lie?
9 Motives for Telling Lies
Reading between the lies Why do people lie? Such a simple question should come with a simple answer (but doesn’t, unfortunately). There are indications, however, that most of us share the same the motives …
My Six Discoveries
One scientist. Six discoveries. Fifty-five years in the making.
August 1, 2017 Number 1: Nonverbal behaviors provide accurate information. And it is not obscure; most people can derive at least some of that information with no trouble. It may …
Should We Want a President Who Can’t or Won’t Lie?
Is honesty the best policy?
August 25, 2016 Presidents and Lying Would it be desirable to have a president who always told the truth; who played with his cards face up? Would that serve the …
Should We Torture Suspected Terrorists?
A closer look at interrogation techniques
July 26, 2016 Suspected Terrorists The Republican candidate for the presidency has recommended torturing suspected terrorists. While former Vice President Dick Cheney was known to advocate the use of torture …
8 Myths about Lying
Lying facts and faction
June 8, 2015 by Paul Ekman, Ph.D. as featured on Forbes. Myth #1 – Everyone lies. Not so. Not about serious matters, not about lies which if caught could result …
Is Snowden Lying?
Evaluating truthfulness
June 2014 Many readers have asked whether Snowden was lying in his recent NBC-TV interview, knowing I have worked for the government and corporations spotting lies by how someone behaves. …
Spotting Poker Bluffs
Can you tell when someone is bluffing?
May 2014 The game has changed now that TV broadcasts people playing poker In the old days, not a word was spoken, and that tradition continues today in some venues. …
Why Lies Fail – Part 2
Why do lies fail?
October, 2009 Feeling Guilty Why do lies fail? I asked people “If you could be absolutely certain that your lover would never find out, would you have a one-night stand …