Detection of Deception - complete

Question 1

What is the nature of deception?

Answer 1

lying and deception is a deliberate act

Question 2

What is the frequency of lying?

Answer 2

Occurs everyday

DePaulo et al. (1996) College students told 2 lies a day, community members told 1 lie a day

DePaulo et al. (1998) frequency of lying alters between spouses, close friends and strangers

Question 3

Why do we tell lies?

Answer 3

Vrij (2008)

1. Personal advantage
2. Avoid punishment
3. Make positive impression/protect themselves from embarrassment
4. Make others appear better
5. Social lies to ease social situations

1-3 = self preserving 
4 = other oriented 
5 = both

Question 4

What types of lies are there?

Answer 4

DePaulo et al (1996)

Outright lies - lies in which the information conveyed is completely different or contradictory to that the deceiver believes is the truth

Exaggerations - lies in which the facts are overstated or information is conveyed that exceeds the truth

Subtle lies - involve literal truths designed to mislead

Question 5

What are non-verbal cues to detect deception?

Answer 5

Vocal characteristics - speech hesitations, rate and pitch

Facial characteristics - smile, gaze and blinking

Body movements - hand movements, head movements and shifting positions

Question 6

What are the 6 fundamental errors?

Answer 6

1. Behaviours wrongly associated with lying
2. Actual cues to lying lack understanding or ignored
3. Assumed lie behaviours are same across people and situations
4. Assumed certain behaviours increase during deception
5. People tend to show overt suspicion when doubtful of a persons credibility making person nervous and may elicit behaviours (stereotypical with lying), masking actual cues
6. Assumed that a statement is believed simply because its plausible and consistent

Question 7

What are the three processes liars may experience?

Answer 7

1. Emotions
2. Cognitive complexity
3. Controlling processes - processes are likely to lead to different behaviours

Question 8

What is the Emotional Approach?

Answer 8

Ekman (1992) - Guilt, fear and excitement. The combination and strength of the emotions depend on the situation and the person.

Guilt - liar, morals, consequences
Fear - liar, person being lied to, high stakes
Excitement - person being lied to, additional onlookers

Question 9

What is the Cognitive Complexity Approach?

Answer 9

Vrij et al (2008) - Lying is more cognitively demanding that telling the truth
Increased cognitive load leads to neglecting body language
More speech errors and pauses
Looking at the face of our conversation partner is too distracting

Question 10

What is the Attempted Behavioural Control Approach?

Answer 10

Liars will attempt to control their behaviour in order to look like they are behaving normally (truthfully)
Over-control = leakage of clues such as increased gaze, lack of movement and smooth speech

Question 11

What are the issues with these underlying processes?

Answer 11

All three processes (emotional approach etc.) may occur together and are not mutually exclusive
One process could be more prevalent than the other according to circumstances e.g. if the lie is complicated the liar will have to think harder than if the lie is easy

Question 12

Explain the background to ‘micro-expressions’

Answer 12

Porter et al (2005) - deception can be achieved by altering displayed emotions
- simulated, masked, neutral
Ekman suggested that concealed emotions can manifest into micro-expressions that last 1/25 of a second
Its claimed that trained observers can spot these expressions

Question 13

Explain what a Statement Validity Assessment is? (SVA)

Answer 13

Analyses verbal and written consent

Linguistic analysis of a persons testimony

Undeutsch (1967) hypothesised that descriptions of events that actually happened differ in content and quality from fictitious accounts

Used in Germany and Netherlands to assess credibility of children’s statements of sexual abuse

Question 14

What does SVA consist of?

Answer 14

Structure interview
Criteria Based Content Analysis
Validity Checklist

Question 15

What does a structure interview in a SVA consist of?

Answer 15

Ask questions to elicit further critical information
Structure the questions around interviewee’s understanding of events
Avoid susceptibility of children to leading questions

Bull(1998) a child’s description of past events are notably incomplete

Question 16

What does a criteria based content analysis within a SVA consist of?

Answer 16

Adapted from Steller et al (1989)

General Characteristics - quantity of details

Specific contents - unusual details, details misunderstood

Motivation related contents - pardoning perpetrator, raising doubts

Offence Specific Elements

Question 17

Evaluate the SVA

Answer 17

It is a truth verifying technique
If criteria are present in a statement they are indicators of truthfulness
Therefore it is not a lie detection technique

Field studies (Lamb et al, 1997) examined statements abuse victims with ground truth being established by medical evidence etc.
More that one rater checked CBCA
Only used 14 criteria but average was 6.74

Experimental studies (Porter et al, 1996) 60 undergrads committed mock theft and then interviewed 
3 of 18 CBCA criteria (detail, logical consistency and lack of memory) distinguished truthful and deceptive accounts

Question 18

What is the accuracy of the SVA in field studies of adult rape allegations?

Answer 18

Parker and Brown (2000) examined SVA as a means of determining truthfulness of rape allegations but was difficult to establish ground truth

Question 19

What are the overall accuracy rates of SVA?

Answer 19

Vrij (2005)

Accuracy of field studies = Truth 88% and Lie 92%

Accuracy in lad studies = Mean truth 73% and mean lie 72%

Can be manipulated and the CBCA criteria can be included in a false account to make it appear truthful

Question 20

What are the overall feelings towards using SVA in court?

Answer 20

SVA does not meet Daubert (1993) ruling for admitting this form of evidence in court

Because error rate of 30% and experts are conflicted over the SVA

But SVA is useful for police to give them rough indications of truthfulness of statements

Question 21

What is a Polygraph test?

Answer 21

Aim is to gain confession, detect deception and encourage public confidence
Used for Investogations, employee screening and pre-clearance screening
Measures blood pressure, respiration and Galvanic skin response

Question 22

What is the polygraph testing procedure?

Answer 22

Distraction- free environment
Pre-test interview - explain procedure, gather info and review questions
Polygraph examination - instructed not to move, closed questions only, 1/3 test procedures used (RIT, GKT or CQT) (CQT is most used)

Question 23

What is a Control/comparison question test (CQT) ?

Answer 23

Reid (1974) - consists of three types of questions (neutral, crime relevant and control (encourages deception))
Assumes innocent people will show stronger reaction to control than crime- relevant questions

Question 24

How is the CQT scored?

Answer 24

Vrij (2008)
Global - polygrapher forms opinion based on examinee’s behaviour

Numerical scoring - No difference = 0, noticeable =+/-1, strong =+/-2 and dramatic =+/-3
High positive = innocence
High negative = guilt

Question 25

What is the accuracy of the CQT?

Answer 25

Vrij (2008) Lab -more accurate in detecting guilt than innocence
Field - not as accurate but not stat sig.

Field -similar results yet bigger difference between guilt and innocence

Question 26

What are the problems with CQT?

Answer 26

Iacono (2008)

Weak theoretical foundation
Ekman (1992) truth tellers could show same reactions as liars
Prep of questions requires skilled examiner as control questions need to elicit right amount of physiological reaction

Question 27

Can the polygraph be fooled?

Answer 27

Honts et al (1994) suggests guilty people can fool the test

They can do this by producing the same emotional response to control questions as crime relevant questions
May result in deceivers not being detected = unreliable test

Question 28

Explain Grubin’s (2008) study - using polygraph on sex offenders

Answer 28

Advocated the use of polygraph testing with SO’s , especially in US, with it aiming to enhance treatment and improve supervision

Pilot testing of 25 SO’s, chosen by probation officer and other professionals, in East and West Midlands

Clinically significant disclosures consistently higher in polygraph group than comparison as more CSD made during polygraph
Offenders made more CSDs if result indicated deception
Offender managers changed supervision processes following CSDs

Question 29

What is the overall evaluation of using polygraphs on SOs?

Answer 29

The test increased chances if SO revealing info relevant to their management, treatment and supervision

Increased likelihood preventative actions being taken

Seen as valuable addition to supervision by both offenders and managers

suitable tool for electing CSD for all types of sex offenders

Question 30

Explain Ho et al’s (2013) study - using polygraph on mentally disordered sex offenders

Answer 30

Case study 2 patients having had post conviction SO testing

This brought about new disclosures aiding treatment
Used to establish sexual history and current baseline sexual behaviours

Can be used to determine future risk

Question 31

Explain Elliott et al (2016) study using post conviction polygraph tests on SO

Answer 31

Systematic review of studies

+Found polygraph lead to CSD associated with risk behaviours and overall risk.
+Helps re-evaluate more suitable interventions

• Still may be able to conceal info or disclose bare minimum. May even fabricate disclosure to satisfy what they think examiner wants to hear
• There was no link between polygraph implications (CSD and interventions) and recidivism
• Within studies no random allocation of SO to test groups thus affecting influencing factors on reoffending
• missing data in review or unreported data

Question 32

Describe plan for the essay: Examine the use of polygraphs and managing sex offenders in the community

Answer 32

• Explain what a polygraph is
• Explain the aims of a polygraph i.e detecting deception
• What is deception
• Explain polygraph procedure and CQT test
• Describe Grubin’s (2008) study - positive findings
• Describe Ho et al (2013) study - positive findings
• Limitations of Polygraph test- fooling test
• Limitations of CQT in polygraph test
• Support limitations with Elliott (2016) evaluation