Understanding Inconclusive or False Polygraph Outcomes: Insights and Actions

Learning Center, Polygraph Examiner

Imagine you’re in a situation where you’re falsely accused and decide to take a polygraph test to prove your innocence. Surprisingly, the results come back as inconclusive or falsely indicate deception. What went wrong?

Polygraph tests, often referred to as lie detectors, are not infallible. They can sometimes incorrectly label honest individuals as deceptive due to a variety of physiological and psychological factors. By understanding why polygraphs can yield incorrect results, you can better prepare for such tests and increase your chances of a truthful outcome.

How Do Polygraphs Operate?

Key Measurements of a Polygraph: The device tracks and records physiological responses like blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and skin conductivity. The presumption is that lying triggers noticeable physical reactions, such as an increased heart rate or sweating.

Test Procedure: During the test, a mix of control and relevant questions is asked. The subject’s physiological responses to these questions are compared, with stronger reactions to relevant questions often interpreted as signs of lying.

Reasons for False Polygraph Results

1. Physiological Variabilities: Conditions like high blood pressure or asthma can influence the test outcomes, as can factors like medication or chronic health conditions.
2. Psychological Factors: Stress, anxiety, or fear related to the situation or the test itself can mimic the body’s response to lying.
3. Procedural Flaws: Issues like poor sensor calibration, inadequate control questions, and improper question phrasing can lead to inaccurate results.
4. Environmental and Examiner Influences: The testing environment and the examiner’s conduct can impact the subject’s stress levels and thus the test results.

Tackling a Misleading Polygraph Result

If you face an unjust polygraph test, consider these strategies to improve your chances of a truthful outcome:

• Rest and Relaxation: Ensure you’re well-rested to minimize anxiety.
• Avoid Certain Substances: Steer clear of medications or stimulants that could affect your physiological responses.
• Stay Focused and Calm: Pay attention to the questions and respond succinctly. Avoid overthinking.
• Physical Stillness: Minimize movements during the test to avoid false readings.
• Breathing Techniques: Controlled breathing can help maintain steady physiological readings.
• Visualize Positive Outcomes: Stay confident and visualize a successful test.
• Honesty: Always stick to the truth, as deceit can complicate your results.

The Future of Lie Detection Technology

Emerging technologies like brain wave analysis, MRI scans, voice stress analysis, and body temperature tracking show promise in improving lie detection accuracy. However, these are still in development stages and have not yet surpassed the polygraph in reliability.

Concluding Thoughts

A polygraph’s failure to accurately indicate truthfulness does not necessarily reflect on your honesty. Being aware of the test’s limitations and preparing accordingly can help you navigate this challenging situation. Remember, an inconclusive or deceptive result in a polygraph test isn’t the end of the road in proving your innocence.

Understanding Inconclusive Polygraph Results

Learning Center, Polygraph Examiner

Have you ever faced a scenario where a test doesn’t yield a straightforward answer? This situation can be especially perplexing when dealing with a tool like the polygraph, known for its role in measuring honesty but sometimes producing ambiguous outcomes.

An inconclusive polygraph outcome hovers in a gray area, failing to categorically label you as either truthful or deceptive. This ambiguity often arises from the test’s inability to decisively categorize your responses. Several factors, ranging from personal stressors to the inherent limitations of the polygraph, contribute to these uncertain results.

Unpacking the Reasons Behind Inconclusive Results

Several factors can lead to an inconclusive polygraph result:

1. Physical and Psychological Factors: Conditions like illness, discomfort, or emotional distress can skew your physiological responses, blurring the line between truth and deception.
2. Test Preparation and Execution: Insufficient familiarity with the test procedure or confusion during the test can lead to inconclusive outcomes.
3. Technical Challenges: Faulty equipment or errors in data interpretation can compromise the test’s accuracy.
4. Question Ambiguity and Test Duration: Vague or poorly structured questions, along with the test’s length, can influence the reliability of the results.
5. Examiner Influence: Bias, inexperience, or incompetence from the examiner can also skew the test outcome.
6. External Conditions: A disruptive test environment or language barriers can affect the test’s effectiveness.

Consequences and Responses to an Inconclusive Result

An inconclusive polygraph result can necessitate further testing and may impact legal or employment scenarios. It might lead to additional scrutiny in legal cases or affect your reputation, especially if publicized.

Legal Considerations

In legal settings, while polygraphs aren’t typically admissible as evidence, an inconclusive result can still influence the proceedings. It might prompt further investigation or affect the decision-making process of legal authorities.

Challenging an Inconclusive Result

If you’re faced with an inconclusive outcome, consider the following steps:

1. Review and Obtain Test Records: Scrutinize the test records for any inconsistencies or procedural errors.
2. Expert Consultation: Seek advice from a polygraph professional for an independent review.
3. Formal Complaints: If you suspect unethical practices, file a complaint with relevant authorities.
4. Request a Retest: Consider asking for a retest under different conditions or with a different examiner.

Emotional and Psychological Support

Facing an inconclusive result can be emotionally taxing. It’s important to seek support, manage stress, and prepare mentally for any follow-up tests or legal proceedings.

Preparing for a Follow-Up Test

Educate yourself about the process, review the questions, and focus on staying calm and collected during the test.

Final Thoughts

In the face of an inconclusive polygraph result, it’s crucial to avoid jumping to conclusions. Instead, focus on understanding the potential reasons behind the result and taking constructive steps forward. Remember, an inconclusive outcome is not an indicator of guilt or deceit, but rather a reflection of the complexities and limitations of the polygraph testing process.

Acquaintance Tests in Polygraph Examinations

Learning Center, Polygraph Examiner

How Can I Tell When Someone is Lying? – Part 3: The Freudian Slip

Learning Center, Polygraph Examiner

In May 2022, former US president, George W. Bush, made an infamous “Freudian slip.” In a speech held at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Bush was delivering a prepared speech for him, “George W. Bush Foundation,” on the horrors of the Ukrainian war and the brutal invasion of the sovereign nation by the Russian leader, Vladimir Putin.

Bush, now 76 years old, seems to let his waning mental capacity and functionality get the better of him during the speech, making one of the most interesting “Freudian slips” in media history. During the speech, Bush says the following while criticizing Russia’s leadership.

“The result is an absence of checks and balances in Russia and the decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq.”

“I mean, of Ukraine,” he says, recovering quickly.

Followed by, “Iraq too,” with the crowd bursting into laughter.

Source: MSNBC 

So, what can we gather from this error, and what is a Freudian slip anyway? In part 2 of “How Can I Tell If Someone is Lying?” we’ll look at this psychological phenomenon and unpack what it means in the context of the error made by the 43rd President of the United States.

What Is a Freudian Slip?

Have you, like George W. Bush, ever said something you didn’t intend to express? The “Freudian slip,” otherwise known as a “parapraxis,” is a memory or verbal mistake, or combination of the two, causing a slip of the tongue considered linked to the subconscious mind.

According to Sigmund Freud (6 May 1856 – September 1939), Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis, this behavior could reveal thoughts you’re trying to keep secretive. Freud gets the credit for coining the behavior and the term “Freudian slip.”

These errors may reveal feelings and thoughts you want to keep private but believe are true. For instance, you could call your partner by your ex’s name, misunderstand a written or spoken term, or say an incorrect word.

It’s more common for people to make a Freudian slip when speaking, but it also occurs in writing. We can trace the origin of these slips to subconscious urges, representing one of the three following behaviors.

• Unrealized emotions that have yet to register in your conscious mind.
• Something you want to say, but you’re unable to express.
• Something you’re trying to suppress and keep from others.

Freudian slips are incredibly common in everyday behavior. You can probably recall several examples in your life. However, do Freudian slips always represent unexpressed desires or secret impulses, or is there a straightforward explanation for the behavior?

Sigmund Freud described a combination of reasons why we make “Freudian slips” in his work, “The Psychopathology of Everyday Life,” published in 1901. Freud noted these errors occur due to the “disturbing influence of something outside of the intended speech,” such as a subconscious thought or belief.

In Freud’s perspective, we withhold inappropriate beliefs or thoughts or beliefs from our conscious awareness, with the slips exposing what we hide deep in our subconscious mind.

So, what does this mean for our example with George W. Bush? Well, if we speculate on the incident, we can come to a conspiratorial conclusion. At the time of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, led by George W. Bush, “Commander in Chief” of the US Armed Forces, the American public was told Saddam Hussein was in possession of “Weapons of Mass Destruction” (WMDs).

This claim, unproven at the time, with no corroborating evidence, was the sole reason for the Bush administration justifying the invasion of the sovereign country and usurping its leader. In following years, it was brought to light by several sources that Iraq was never in possession of WMDs.

So, when delivering his speech in May 2022, close to two decades after making his speech justifying the invasion of Iraq, Bush perhaps let loose his true intentions and thoughts on the 2003 invasion. While this is all speculation, we’ll leave it up to you to decide on the merits of the Bush slip.

Still, it’s an apt example showing the meaning of the Freudian slip and how it can indicate dishonest behavior or deception. Let’s move on and unpack everything you need to know about the Freudian slip.

What are the Types of Freudian Slips?

As we’ve already covered, there are three common types of Freudian slips.

• Forgetfulness Linked to Desire
• Forgetfulness Linked to Repression
• Speech Blunders or Spoken Distortions

Let’s look at each of the three in detail.

Forgetfulness Linked to Desire

This slip occurs when we do or don’t want to do something. For example, you have a list of household choirs you keep losing. You don’t want to do the chores, so your subconscious mind keeps repressing the memory of where you left the list so you can keep avoiding them.

Another example would be “accidentally” leaving your jacket at a new love interest’s house because it gives you an excuse to see them again to recover the coat.

You could do this intentionally or unintentionally. In other words, you could consciously leave the jacket there, or your subconscious mind could cause you to forget the jacket to give you the excuse to return to the person’s home.

Forgetfulness Linked to Repression

Some slips involve a problem with recollection rather than speech. If you undergo an experience generating emotions of anxiety, pain, or shame, your mind will repress this memory. For instance, you’re scratched severely by a cat as a young child, requiring medical care.

Later in adult life, you don’t remember the incident or that the cat’s name was “Curtis.” However, your subconscious does; it reflects everything that happens to you. Later in life, as the manager of an Apple store, you have a new employee named Anabelle Curtis join the team.

You struggle to remember Annabelle’s surname for the first week and can’t understand why. Normally, you have a great memory. 

Speech Blunders or Spoken Distortions

The speech blunder is the most common Freudian slip and the most well-renowned version. It’s the same issue that George W. Bush had during his speech.

Why Do We Make Freudian Slips?

While Freud produced three reasons for the slip, there’s still debate and uncertainty about why we make them. Here are a few possible reasons for this behavior.

Processing Language

Verbal errors associated with Freudian slips can occur due to problems with how our brains process and interpret language. We might unconsciously edit our language before speaking, carefully monitoring it for mistakes and inappropriate words. This unconscious process happens all the time, and we’re totally unaware of it. In fact, it might be the reason for the phrase “choose your words wisely.”

Freudian slips occur in moments where these precautions in our unconscious processes fail, letting a word slip out before we have the chance to catch it. Research shows people make these kinds of mistakes for around every two thousand words spoken.

This amounts to approximately seven to 22 verbal slip-ups per day, depending on how much we speak. While Freud suggests there is meaning in these errors, they could also be a part of errors in normal communication.

Suppressed Thoughts

While the average Freudian slip is just a case of confusion in our word choices, there are times, such as in George W. Bush’s case, when they could refer to suppressed thoughts or deception. A 1979 study shows people who thought they would receive an electric shock were more susceptible to making “shock-related” errors with their word choices.

Those subjects undergoing questioning by an attractive examiner were more likely to mistake nonsensical phrases for words relating to good-looking people. A 1987 experiment showed participants explicitly asked not to imagine a white bear would repeatedly think of an image of the animal, up to an average of once a minute after receiving the instruction.

Psychologist Daniel Wegner concluded the experiment results formed his idea of the “theory of ironic process,” describing why it is tricky to repress specific thoughts. While specific areas of the brain suppress these concealed thoughts, another part of the mind periodically evaluates its status to ensure we’re not thinking about it.

As a result, this behavior could ironically bring the ideas we’re trying to repress to the forefront of our minds and tongues. In several of these cases, the more we try to avoid thinking about something, the more likely we are to think about it and say it verbally.

Alternative Reasons for Making Freudian Slips

While the above reasons are supposedly the primary drivers leading to Freudian slips, there are several other potential reasons for the behavior that don’t relate to manifesting our deepest desires. Here are some potentially less intriguing reasons for the behavior.

Distractions

Have you ever had the experience of trying to write something down while you’re listening to a podcast in the background that’s unrelating to your topic? You might accidentally write down something from the podcast instead of your related work.

An example of this behavior would be hanging out with friends and chatting about last night’s episode of your favorite TV series. However, your mind wanders to the date you have planned with your partner later that evening. You wonder what you’ll wear to the restaurant when someone in the group asks you what you think about what they said.

You reply with, “Yes! I think that dress is amazing!” Your friends look at you with stunned disbelief and confusion, and you feel somewhat embarrassed.

Accidents

Language is complex, particularly the English language. By the time we turn into adults, we know anywhere from 20,000 to 35,000 words and their meanings. So, it’s conceivable to mix up the definitions of these words from time to time.

The brain is not infallible, and it may confuse terms or events. A good example is the “Mandela Effect.” This phenomenon describes an experiment where people were asked if they knew who former South African President Nelson Mandela was and when he died.

Most Americans answering the question of that knew who he was mistakenly thought he died in prison. In reality, he died in 2013, many years after stepping down from his presidential term as the country’s first democratically elected leader.

Does a Freudian Slip Mean Anything?

As mentioned throughout this post, it’s challenging to say that Freudian slips have a hidden meaning. The nature of the phenomenon makes it difficult to research in a controlled environment because they happen too sporadically.

If, as Freud suggested, they relate to hidden or repressed desires or thoughts, researchers would need to explore the unconscious mind to find support for the existence of these hidden thoughts or desires. Psychoanalysis maintains that this behavior occurs due to a fleeting lapse in a person’s ability to suppress their thoughts when needed, resulting in the slip.

In 1992, researchers examined several plausible explanations for the Freudian slip. They looked at internal conflicts over managing undesired habits and emotions, activating these behaviors through hypnosis processes.

The results show some association between Freudian slips and the subject’s associated thoughts. So, we can only assume that future research is warranted from these experiments. However, the research team also pointed out several flaws in the study.

However, the research points to a link between Freudian slips and sexual issues caused by sex-related guilt. Subjects with increased levels of sexual-related shame made more of these errors. Researchers think this behavior might be because they feel emotional conflict over whether to avoid or seek out partners they feel strongly attracted to. However, it’s important to note these are not conclusive findings.

Still, in the context of George W. Bush and his May 2022 speech, it’s interesting to see the former President make this blunder in front of the world stage. While it was clear that the US Armed Force’s reasoning for invading Iraq in 2003 was clearly not to discover WMDs, we’ll never know the real reason for Bush’s decision.

Could it be proof the President had a hidden agenda? Or was it a simple mistake made by an aging man who had no business speaking in public due to his declining mental health? You be the judge.

How Can I Tell When Someone Is Lying? – Part 2: A Guide to Micro Expressions

Learning Center, Polygraph Examiner

We’ve all had those situations where our BS radar is on full alert when talking to someone we just met. They’re telling us about something that seems so fantastical it sounds like a load of baloney. Regardless of the theme of their story, something doesn’t seem right, and you’re halfway to calling them out on this nonsense, but you don’t want to seem like a douchebag.

So, how can you tell if someone is lying to you? We’ll look at micro expressions in this second part of the series. What are micro-expressions, and how can they help you decipher if someone’s lying to you or telling the truth? Are micro expressions even a useful tool in determining deceptive behavior?

Some experts state micro expressions offer another useful tactic in assessing behavior, while others think it’s a waste of time. Let’s unpack everything you need to know about this behavioral trait and how it gives way to our intentions, feelings, and thoughts.

What Are Micro Expressions?

A micro expression is an involuntary facial movement occurring in a fraction of a second. It happens so fast that you’ll miss it unless you’re paying close attention to the person’s face. Experts believe these micro expressions reflect your true emotional state or reaction to an exterior stimulus, regardless of your controlled facial expressions.

We can’t control the micro expressions we make. So, by identifying them, we have a powerful means of determining what a person is feeling or thinking in response to what we say or do. For instance, we’ve all had the experience of someone asking us if we’re okay after they say something bad to us, and we reply by saying we’re alright when we really feel like screaming in their face.

In the moments before we brush off their question and reply in a cool, calm, and relaxed manner, our micro expressions will convey anger or disappointment at them, just for a fraction of a second. While the other person isn’t consciously aware of it, if they were staring at our face when they made the statement, their subconscious mind will register the micro expression and know they did something wrong.

This “emotional leakage” of micro expressions can be totally contrary to what our general facial expression portrays in the moments after the micro expression. By understanding how to recognize micro expressions, we have a powerful tool at our disposal to uncover what a person really thinks about something.

Micro expressions could be useful in situations where we’re trying to determine deceptive behavior in others. They act as a “tell,” removing the mask the other person tries to hide behind. It takes a trained eye to recognize micro expressions. They happen in a fraction of a second, and if you’re not consciously looking for them, you’ll miss them.

Do Micro Expressions Convey Emotional States?

Hundreds of studies conducted around the globe show people have universal facial responses expressing their emotions. The studies show consistent results displaying seven universal facial expressions for our feelings. These expressions are reflexive, innate, emotional reactions to external stimuli in our life experiences.

We all have an innate understanding of how to recognize emotional states in others just by looking at their facial experience. Right now, try to imagine someone that’s happy. It is easy to imagine their face in this emotional state. Similarly, try to imagine the same person when they look angry. Once again, it’s easy and natural to formulate this image in your mind.

However, people also have the ability to mimic false facial expressions to cover up what they’re really feeling. For instance, how often have you “put on a happy face” despite feeling angry or sad? Our facial expressions give away our true emotional state, and they also have the power to change our emotional state.

For instance, think about when you’re feeling sad. If a friend tells you to smile and forces you into that expression, don’t you suddenly feel a little better? Sure, you’re not jumping over the moon with excitement, but the act of trying to crack a smile lifts the bad emotional state, helping you out of that dark place.

When you initially respond to an external stimulus and then control your response, in the moments between the reaction and control, you emit a micro expression giving away how you truly feel. This process happens so fast that it’s impossible for other people to pick up; if they’re not looking directly at you, they’re likely to miss it.

With enough practice, it’s possible to learn these micro expressions and detects them in other people if you’re paying attention at the right time.

Micro Expressions and How They Represent Emotional Awareness

Unlike gestures or verbal communication, facial expressions are part of a universally recognized behavioral signaling system. These emotional signals reflect the fluctuation in our mental state on a moment-to-moment basis.

The face gives us a window into the emotional headspace of other people. Whether you’re Caucasian, Asian, African, English, or Spanish, we all recognize the expressions of happiness, anger, sadness, and all the others encompassing the seven emotional expressions in others.

For instance, if you’re standing on a subway platform, and someone of a different ethnicity is staring at you with a grimace on their face, you don’t need to ask them what they’re thinking. They don’t have to say a word for you to get 100% certainty in what they are thinking about you at that moment.

This form of nonverbal communication is deeply embedded in our psyche as children. Long before we understand language as infants, we learn to recognize the expressions on our parent’s faces, which significantly impact how we feel.

For instance, a newborn might be crying, but if you look at them with surprise and happiness and make a silly sound, it’s enough to nap them out of their emotional state and get them to start giggling.

What are the Seven Universal Facial Expressions?

There are seven universal facial expressions corresponding to our emotional state.

• Surprise.
• Joy.
• Anger.
• Sadness.
• Fear.
• Disgust.
• Contempt.

Each facial expression engages the muscular system in the face to convey our emotional state. Interestingly, joy is the easiest to recognize, and sadness is the most challenging to fake. Some people have a hard time differentiating between expressions of fear and surprise.

Can People Train to Read Facial Micro Expressions?

A scientific study of micro expressions by David Matsumoto provides evidence suggesting we have the ability to train ourselves to recognize micro expressions in others. With the right instruction and practice, anyone can learn how to identify and interpret micro expressions.

Training includes familiarizing yourself with the physical characteristics of facial expressions using still images and descriptions. You move on to videos where you must identify the micro expression in real-time. By including classes to understand body language, you fast-track your study and understanding of how to recognize micro expressions.

What are the Benefits of Reading Facial Micro Expressions?

Law enforcement officers and other professionals involved in security, guarding, and psychology often receive training to recognize micro expressions in others. Understanding how to identify these tells them they have a tool to help them avoid potentially dangerous facades put on by other people they engage with in real-world scenarios.

Micro expressions can assist with differentiating lies from truths regarding future malicious intent. By learning these skills, individuals can identify a potential security threat. For instance, a thief registers a micro expression of fear as they walk out of a store with stolen merchandise. Or a terrorist that flashes surprise when a law enforcement officer comes into their path when they walk through airport security.

Learning micro expressions can also be useful in polygraph examinations and other forms of interrogation to uncover deceptive behavior in examinees. The subject might flash a micro expression giving away their true intentions and thoughts before they answer deceptively.

Micro Expressions and Deception Detection

When a person tries to conceal their emotions, a micro expression precedes the final emotional state of their face. The leaking micro expression may limit itself to one portion of the face in a subtle or “mini” expression or my present as a quick flash across the entire face.

Micro expressions typically occur in 1/25th of a second, so it’s easy for people to miss them. However, the subconscious mind is a powerful tool, and with the right training, you can identify micro expressions, even though they happen so quickly.

Micro Expressions – The Gestural Slip

Sometimes, micro expressions don’t always occur on the face. They can take the form of slight gestures, as is the “gestural slip.” The person might slightly raise their left or right shoulder when they speak, indicating a fragment of a full gesture.

This gestural slip occurs due to feelings of fear or helplessness when facing tough questions, such as those asked in a polygraph exam. Like micro expressions, the person making the gestural slip is entirely unaware of their actions.

Gestural slips can also occur with body language indicating the opposite of what the person is saying. For instance, they might nod their head in the affirmative while profusely denying an accusation.

Micro Expressions – Microfear

One of the most common facial micro expressions produced in stressful situations, such as polygraph exams, is “microfear.” Typically, the microfear expression involves the subject making an unconscious horizontal stretching of their lips in an effort to conceal their fearfulness at the question.

In this case, the microfear expression gives the impression of subdued feelings below the surface, making the subject uncomfortable. It’s common for microfear expressions to come in combination with gestural slips, like the half-shoulder shrug. Microfear expressions can also involve slight movements in the corners of the mouth before telling a lie.

Micro Expressions – ‘Unilateral’ Contempt

Unilateral contempt involves raising and tightening the corners of the mouth to indicate emotions of moral superiority or arrogance. It’s classified as “unilateral” because contempt is the only emotion corresponding to a facial expression on one side of the face.

Emotions like surprise, anger, fear, happiness, disgust, and sadness appear on both sides of the face in a “bilateral” manner. However, it’s also important to note that the micro-expressions of unilateral contempt, microfear, and gestural slips are insufficient to confirm if a person is lying.

However, they may prove useful in polygraph exams. Combined with other deception identification techniques, they may strengthen the case for deception if the examiner suspects the examinee of lying in a polygraph test, for example.

Can Micro Expressions Uncover Deception?

Every polygraph examiner and law enforcement official would welcome a foolproof method of identifying deception in others. However, the reality is there is no certain method for detecting deceptive behavior.

Despite what we see on TV shows like Fox network’s “Lie to Me,” where Tim Roth plays an expert in reading micro expressions, it’s impossible to use them alone to confirm deceptive behavior. However, combining the techniques of reading micro expressions with understanding body language and voice analysis can greatly improve the efficacy of polygraph exams in uncovering deception.

Micro expressions are another form of body language we display when we answer people’s questions with the right questioning techniques and a trained eye. It’s possible to spot potential deceptive behavior in others.

While micro expressions alone aren’t enough to spot a person lying, they can leave clues to their thoughts and feelings and the true intent behind their motives. Like the autonomic response of the sympathetic nervous system producing the “fight-or-flight” response, we cannot control these micro expressions or prevent them from occurring.

Despite our best intentions to suppress these Responses, when placed in a stressful situation, such as a polygraph exam, we collapse. Our emotional state is so heightened that we need full control over our body and mind to avoid making these “tells.” 

That’s just not possible to pull off when our sympathetic nervous system is engaged and flooding out r body with adrenaline and cortisol. So, micro expressions offer a valuable tool when used in combination with other techniques

How Can I Tell When Someone Is Lying? – Part 1: A Guide to Body Language

Learning Center, Polygraph Examiner

How can you tell if someone is lying to you? Is it even possible to discern this behavior? The reality is people tell lies and tell them all the time. There’s a big difference between an innocent lie that doesn’t influence the trajectory of other people’s lives and a lie causing massive damage to other people’s life experiences.

Some people have a natural ability to sniff out lies, while others are easier to deceive. Some people believe it’s impossible to detect when people are lying, but experts will tell you a different story. Liars are easy to spot with the right training.

We put together this series, “How can I tell if someone is lying?” to improve your innate “BS” radar. We all have the ability to detect when people are lying, and this series unmasks the techniques you need to master your internal lie detector.

In this first installment of the series, we look at body language. What is body language, and how can it help us identify deception in others?

Understanding Body Language and How It Relates to Lying

“Body language” defines a set of physical movements we make to show signs of our emotional state. These movements are subconscious behavior, meaning we don’t realize we’re making them, and there’s nothing we can do to consciously stop this behavior.

For instance, if hearing a piece of news makes you happy, you don’t have to consciously think about smiling. The feeling bubbles to the forefront of your conscious mind, and before you know it, you have a grin from ear to ear.

Experts uncovered that we make a bunch of unconscious movements in our body, face, and eyes when we lie. This body language is impossible to repress. Let’s take the game of poker as an example. “Bluffing” is an important part of the game. Players will bluff to make the other players at the table think they have a good or bad hand, depending on the scenario.

However, what novice players don’t realize, and what advanced players understand, is that people who bluff give away their behavior by leaving a “tell.” A good example of this behavior comes from the movie “Rounders,” starring Matt Damon as a college poker player involved in a high-stakes game.

Matt is playing a game against “KGB Teddy,” a notorious player that’s hard to beat. However, Damon figures out Teddys “tell.” Teddy, played by John Malkovich, cracks an Oreo cookie in a specific manner when he’s bluffing. Damon figures this out and uses it to his advantage to win the pot.

When Teddy realizes Damon knows his tell, he loses his temper, and he loses the game. It’s a classic example of body language giving away a person’s intentions, despite doing their best to conceal them.

Source: Movie clips (YouTube)

What is the “Baseline” in Body Language?

A person’s body language “baseline” defines a set of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors they usually go through during the day when responding to external stimuli. Our baseline is unique, and no two people are the same, but we can observe similar traits in people across large behavioral groups.

For instance, someone feeling depressed might walk around with their shoulders lumped, a frown on their face, staring at the ground. Or someone feeling happy might keep their chin up, with a smile on their face, making eye contact with other people around them.

People have different body language reactions to different situations. To understand a person’s true body language baseline, you’ll need to observe them in heated emotional states and relaxed conditions. By observing their behavior in several states, we’ll find it easier to pick out inconsistencies in their body language.

While this might seem like an easy strategy, it’s easier said than done. So, we need to gather information from data points by analyzing the current situation where we’re trying to “read” the other person.

Essentially, you’re looking for any inconsistencies in their normal behavior that seems “off.” You can use a simple and fast method to detect aberrant behavior you find suspicious using their body language.

If you notice any shift from their normal behavior, or “baseline,” you’ll find there are non-verbal cues they leave that give away their attempt at deception. There are six things to look for in people’s baseline body language to tell if they’re lying or feeling uncomfortable. In this case, you’re looking for three to five changes in their body language to understand if they’re attempting to be deceptive.

No one piece of body language can tell you if sies lying unless you have a very good understanding of that person. However, by looking for multiple instances of shifts in body language, you can start building a case for deceptive behavior.

Here are the six things to look for in other people’s body language to see if they’re lying to you.

• They don’t make eye contact with you when speaking or after they finish speaking.
• They tend to touch their face.
• They start to fidget.
• They avoid directly answering questions and try to divert the conversation.
• They talk fast to try and wash out the conversation and move on to another subject.
• They change the topic of discussion.

Next, we’ll look at what to look out for in specific parts of another person’s body language to determine if they’re lying.

Body Language & Lying – The Face

Some liars try to make a conscious effort to monitor their speech or body language that people might try to focus on to detect deception. So, for instance, they might try to hone in on their speech when answering someone with a lie.

Since listening to people’s speech and words is possibly the most challenging aspect of catching out a liar, it’s better to focus on other parts of their physiology to look for clues of deception. The face is probably the best place to focus your attention on the task of “unmasking” deceptive behavior.

The nerves and muscles in the face connect to an area of the brain that autonomously controls our emotional responses to external stimuli. That means we have no way of controlling it. A great example is how Adin Ross gets Andrew Tate to break character in the following clip, causing him to smile and make a facial expression he can’t control.

Source: Cup of Twitch (YouTube)

Do We Touch Our Face When We Lie?

Touching your face when you lie could be a sign of deception or an indication of you being in 

a high-stress environment. We sometimes touch our faces to calm us down and help us think clearly. Experts call this behavior the “pacifier” or “regulator” in body language terms.

Facial touching is a component of deceptive behavior we must watch for when looking at body language. It’s important to remember that one piece of body language isn’t enough to give us confirmation that someone is lying to us.

Do We Blush When We Lie?

People often blush when they feel shy, ashamed, or embarrassed about something. It’s another data point we can add to our observations of the person’s behavior. Adding blushing with facial touching gives us a combination of data points, making it more likely the person is trying to be deceptive.

Do We Yawn When We Lie?

Yawning is a facial expression people make when they unconsciously want to avoid replying or engaging with someone. They make it a sign of boredom to show they’re done talking about something. In deceptive behavior, yawning shows contempt or frustration with someone else asking them penetrating questions they want to avoid.

Body Language & Lying – The Eyes

Have you heard the adage, “The eyes are the windows to the soul?” Well, they also provide a window into discovering deceptive behavior in others. For instance, people will look to the left to access their memory banks when recalling information. That’s a clear indication they’re telling the truth.

The eyes give many subtle clues for identifying deceptive behavior. Let’s look at a few examples of body language relating to the eyes and how you can use it to determine if someone’s lying to you.

Looking for Changes in Eye Movement

Many inexperienced liars will avoid making eye contact when they’re being deceptive. However, experienced liars realize this behavior and can stare you right in the face while lying to you without blinking or shifting their eyes.

Changes in Blinking Rate

An increase in blinking rate is the biggest indication of deceptive behavior. We tend to blink more when we’re under stress, and this autonomous function is hard to control, especially if you’re unaware of it being a sign of deceptive behavior.

The average person blinks eight to twenty times a second. So, you can create a baseline for someone’s blink rate and use that to identify deception when asking them a question. If they start blinking more, they’re probably lying to you.

Is Crying an Indication of Lying?

People cry when they are under emotional stress. Some people may use tears to distract people from their behavior. If a person starts crying genuinely, you can pressure them into admitting they were lying by telling them that you won’t judge them and that revealing the truth is okay.

Looking To the Right

Looking to the right is the opposite of looking to the left. If you ask someone a question and they look to the right before answering, they’re accessing the creative side of the brain to invent a lie. Like the blinking rate, this is a powerful autonomous reaction we can’t get around.

Dilated Pupils

If you ask a person a question and notice their pupils dilate as they think about the answer or reply, it’s another indication of deceptive behavior. This is another autonomous brain function as the sympathetic nervous system activates the “Fight-or-Flight” response. The pupils widen to let in more light to help us identify an escape route.

Body Language & Lying – Movements

Our bodies will unconsciously move when we tell lies. Look for these signs of body movements indicating deception in others.

Is Nodding of the Head a Sign of Lying?

People often give themselves away with their body language without realizing it. For instance, they might answer “no” to a question but unconsciously start nodding their head. A good example of this behavior was when Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez was questioned about his possible PED use during his baseball career. While A-Rod answered “no,” he did so while nodding his head in agreement.

Is Fidgeting a Sign of Lying?

Some people may start fidgeting with things in their hands or around them when they lie. For instance, if the person is sitting at a table and they have a pen nearby, they might pick it up and start fidgeting with it. They might click the top of the pen, withdrawing and extending the tip.

Is Shifting in Your Seat a Sign of Lying?

Most people feel uneasy when lying. They’ll start to shift in their seat or transition their weight from one leg to another when standing. This is why polygraph examiners often use a pad on the examinee’s seat to detect this movement during a lie detector test.

Is Shrugging Your Shoulders a Sign of Lying?

Unconscious gestures are a big sign of deceptive behavior. If the person shrugs one of their shoulders slightly while answering your question, it signifies possible dishonest behavior.

Body Language & Lying – Key Takeaways

Understanding body language gives us clues to uncovering deceptive behavior in others. While no single body language indicator is good enough to confirm deception, we can use a combination to confirm our suspicions of the person lying to us.

You can look for clues in how a person moves their body when they answer your question or how their eyes behave in response to your inquiry. Their facial expressions also provide insight into what they are really thinking and their true intentions.

By fine-tuning your ability to detect body language cues, you make it harder for people to lie to you. Study these examples in the people around you, and you’ll find it surprising how many you see people make every day.

What Is the Control Question Technique? & Other Methods

Learning Center, Polygraph Examiner

The introduction of the polygraph in the 1920s changed the way law enforcement dealt with questioning suspects involved in crimes. Before the polygraph, there was no way to discern if a person was lying or telling the truth.

Criminals are excellent liars, and figuring out if they’re being deceptive in interrogations is very challenging, even for the best detectives. The introduction of the lie detector gave law enforcement an edge over deception. For the first time in history, there was a scientific method for uncovering a person’s intentions and answers in interrogations.

The first designs of the polygraph dramatically changed the interrogation landscape for law enforcement. Conviction rates soared to new heights in the next 100 years, all because of a device that could help uncover the truth.

However, the device was not solely responsible for the success of polygraph exams in uncovering deception. The examiner conducting the lie detector test was as important to the development of the technology and its success in the field.

Advancing the methodology around asking questions in polygraph exams also enhanced the efficacy of the process in uncovering deception. In this post, we’ll look at the four primary questioning techniques used by examiners in polygraph exams.

Keeler & Reid – The Origin of the Polygraph Questioning Technique

Polygraph exams have changed a lot over the last century since John Larson invented the first lie detector device. Innovators like Leonard Keeler made considerable advances in the efficacy and effectiveness of polygraph machines and questioning techniques.

However, it was John E. Reid who advanced the questioning methodology for polygraph exams. Reid was a former Chicago police officer, psychologist, and polygraph expert following on from the work of Leonard Keeler in the 1950s.

Reid developed the “Reid Technique” in the 1950s. His method involved creating a high-pressure environment for the polygraph examinee. When the examinee was on edge and ready to confess, Reid would follow up with sympathy and understanding to coax a confession out of the suspect.

There was significant controversy attached to the Reid Technique, with proponents of the methodology praising its effectiveness, while detractors said it brought about a high percentage of false confessions. In 1955, Reid used the technique to gain an admission of guilt from Darrel Parker, the prime suspect in the murder of Parker’s wife.

Reid got the confession from Parker, where he admitted to murdering his wife but recanted his statement the following day. However, the confession was admitted to evidence in his trial, where the jury convicted him, and a judge sentenced him to life imprisonment.

The success of this case shot Reid to stardom, and his technique became the gold standard in polygraph questioning. However, it would turn out Parker was innocent and wrongfully accused. As a result, he sued the state for compensation of $500,000.

Reid formed his company, “John E. Reid and Associates,” and passed away in 1982. However, his company continued to advance the field of polygraph questioning techniques, 

founding “The Reid Institute” in Chicago in 1999.

The Reid Technique involves nine steps in the method.

1. Positive confrontation. Tell the interviewee the police identify them as the prime suspect in the case. Offer them the opportunity to explain their story.
2. Attempt to shift blame from the suspect to another party or circumstance that caused the suspect to commit the crime.
3. Attempt to minimize the frequency of denial by the suspect.
4. Attempt to move towards the suspect’s acknowledgment of the crime when they attempt to explain why they did not do it.
5. Reinforce your sincerity, attempting to ensure that the suspect remains receptive.
6. When the suspect becomes quiet and starts to listen, offer alternatives. If the suspect breaks down and cries, infer guilt on them.
7. Pose an “alternative question.” Provide two scenarios for what occurred. The suspect must choose one or the other, but either way, they admit guilt.
8. Lead the suspect to repeat their admission of guilt in front of a witness. Develop corroborating evidence to establish the validity of the suspect’s confession.
9. Document the admission of guilt and/or confession via a recorded statement (video, audio, or written).

There is plenty of controversy around the Reid Technique and its use in interrogations. It’s no longer used in most criminal polygraph scenarios. However, the FBI did admit to using it in their standard practices for polygraph interrogation in 2013.

The Reid Technique is banned in many countries around the world for use in law enforcement polygraph exams. For instance, Germany doesn’t allow its use. The Reid Technique is forbidden for use in polygraph exams in the private sector and in most public sector institutions.

Instead, polygraph examiners rely on one of the four techniques when interviewing employees in pre-employment screening or employee polygraph examinations.

What are the Types of Questioning Techniques Used in Polygraph Exams?

While the methodology used in polygraph exams has changed, the physiological responses measured in polygraph exams remain the same. Examiners monitor an examinee’s pulse and respiration rate, blood pressure, sweat gland activity, and movement during the exam.

Examiners will typically use one of the following four techniques when assessing a person in a polygraph exam. They’ll choose the questioning technique based on the situation and their training.

The QCT – Control Question Technique

The “Control Question technique,” otherwise known as the “Comparison Question Test,” is the most common questioning methodology used in polygraph examinations. The system utilizes two types of questions. The examiner asks relevant questions about the situation, but they also ask “control questions,” which indirectly relate to the incident in question.

So, if an employee is questioned about their involvement in a $5,000 theft at their company, the examiner might use the following questioning format.

• Have you ever stolen something?
• Have you ever stolen money from an employer?
• Did you steal $5,000 from your employer?

The subject will not want to admit to stealing anything. However, the reality is most people had stolen something in their lifetime, whether it was a dollar from their mom’s purse as a teenager, a candy bar from the corner store when they were a kid, or a newspaper from the newsagent as an adult.

However, most people will deny this behavior under a polygraph exam because they think it will make them look guilty of committing the $5,000 theft, even if they didn’t do it. The innocent person will react more strongly to the control questions, which they’re lying about than they will to the third and most relevant question, which they’re answering truthfully.

A guilty suspect shows a stronger reaction to the relevant question, despite lying on both the control and relevant questions. The relevant question provokes a stronger response because it immediately threatens the suspect.

The RIT – Relevant or Irrelevant Questioning Technique

The RIT is the most established questioning method for polygraph exams. The RIT involves the examiner asking irrelevant and relevant questions about the $5,000 theft. Relevant questions pertain specifically to the theft in question, which the suspect is under examination for potentially committing. The line of questioning for the RIT might appear as follows.

• Is your name John Malcolm?
• Are you 43?
• Do you live at 411 Snitch Street?
• Did you steal $5,000 from your employer?

The initial three questions in the series are irrelevant, but they provide the examiner with a baseline indicating when the subject is telling the truth. They don’t prompt the fight-or-flight response in the subject that indicates deception.

However, when asked about stealing $5,000 from his employer, the subject will produce a different physiological response if they’re guilty of the crime. The question initiates the fight-or-flight response by the sympathetic nervous system as they lie, and the examiner picks up these physiological changes on the polygraph software.

It shows a stark difference in responses between the initial irrelevant questions and the relevant question. If John was innocent and not lying, his physiological response should not change when asked the relevant question.

The DLT – Directed Lie Test

The Directed Lie Test (DLT) is one of the lessor-used methodologies for polygraph testing. With this method, the examiner instructs the subject to lie in response to a control question. The examiner also tells the subject to think about other instances when they were guilty of doing something they denied.

The questions cover an intentionally long period – in most cases, the subject’s lifetime – because there is a strong possibility they have done what they are being told to deny at some stage in their lives. So, the examiner might ask the control question, “Have you ever stolen anything?”

After answering, the examiner will modify the question to “Have you ever stolen anything during your lifetime?” Since the examiner already told the examinee to think about their answer to the question beforehand, any previous activity involving theft will come to the forefront of their conscious mind and show in the polygraph reading.

The physiological response will be lower in individuals telling the truth. However, guilty subjects react more strongly to relevant questions than control ones, even though they’re lying. The reason for this behavior is the threat posed by the relevant question.

The GKT – Guilty Knowledge Test

The GKT is the fourth and final polygraph questioning method and has a different process from the others. The examiner asks a multiple choice question instead of direct questions. Let’s assume the examiner is investigating whether Simon murdered his brother, Matthew, by drowning him in a lake.

In the Guilty Knowledge Test, we assume there is no way Simon could know about the method of murder used to kill Matthew. The examiner would structure the questions as follows.

• Was Matthew strangled?
• Was Matthew stabbed to death?
• Was Matthew drowned?
• Was Matthew shot to death?

Simon will deny murdering his brother, but the examiner records and assesses Simons’ responses to each type of murder method asked in the questioning process. When the examiner asks, “Was Matthew drowned?” it produces a different physiological response to the other three, indicating Simon knows the method of murder, proving his guilt.

Single vs. Multi-Issue Polygraph Questioning

Single versus multi-issue polygraph questioning doesn’t define a specific methodology of testing. Instead, it can apply to any of the techniques mentioned earlier. It’s more of a variation on a questioning theme but a crucial factor in its success, which is why it’s worth mentioning.

In multi-issue testing, the examiner asks questions relating to several issues in a single questioning session. However, results show this technique might not provide effective or accurate results. By introducing several issues into the same questioning session, they muddy the water, making it easier for the subject to avoid the fight-or-flight response and beat the polygraph exam.

Without getting into the technical aspects of the process, results of multi-issue polygraph questioning exams are more open to interpretation and unreliable. With the Single-Issue Test, the examiner only asks the subject questions relating to a single issue.

As a result, the test and the answers are concise and clear, providing accurate and dependable results. Most polygraph examiners will only use the single-issue methodology in their exams.  

Which Is the Most Effective Polygraph Questioning Technique?

The success of the methodologies in polygraph questioning depends on several factors. For instance, it could come down to the examiner’s preferred process or the nature of the misdemeanor or crime. So, the methodology of the exam is less important than the competency and experience of the polygraph examiner.

While the polygraph device and software read the subject’s physiological responses, the real talent in the process comes down to the examiner, their training, and their experience. Going back to John Reid, the man was the most revered and successful polygraph examiner due to his expertise.

A qualified, competent, and experienced examiner can ask the right questions and interpret the subject’s responses in a manner that removes any chance or error from the process. While some claim they can beat the polygraph, it’s usually the case because they have an inexperienced examiner taking the test.

These same individuals might have a very different experience if they come across an experienced examiner with tens of thousands of interviews on their resumes.