🕵️

Human Lie Detection Techniques - Vanessa Van Edwards

Jul 22, 2024

Human Lie Detection Techniques - Vanessa Van Edwards

Introduction

  • Guest: Vanessa Van Edwards, author of Human Lie Detection and Body Language 101
  • Topic: How to get people to tell more or even confess

Analysis of Amanda Knox Interview

  • Example video from Amanda Knox's interview with Diane Sawyer
  • Key observations about Amanda Knox's behavior:
    • Nodding while saying no (incongruent behavior)
    • Raised eyebrows (indicator of surprise)
    • Swallowed before answering (sign of intense nervousness)
    • Stiffness in body language (suggests coaching)
  • Importance of baselining:
    • Observing someone when they are not nervous
    • Helps to differentiate between nerves and lies

Techniques for Lie Detection

  • Don't Fill the Void: Wait for Silence

    • Ask a question and wait two beats before reacting
    • Silence makes liars nervous and they might fill it with more information
    • Example: Asking a teenager about a cheating incident
  • Invade Personal Space

    • Step towards the person or lean in
    • Makes the person feel that you are on to them
    • Effective with real estate agents, spouses, etc.
    • Example: Asking about a leaky air conditioner
  • Nod Your Head

    • Nodding increases the likelihood of the person speaking 3-4 times more
    • Shows engagement and expectation for them to continue
    • Especially useful with reticent teenagers
  • Show Disengagement

    • Leaning back can show doubt or disengagement
    • Useful in negotiations, e.g., with a real estate agent
  • Change the Storytelling

    • Ask the person to recount the story from a different perspective or order
    • Liars who have rehearsed stories find this difficult
    • Example: Asking a teenager to recount the night’s events backward

Strategies for Parents

  • Tell the Worst Version

    • Propose a worse scenario than what you suspect
    • Liars tend to correct the more severe accusation but may admit to the lesser one
    • Example: Accusing a child of taking a credit card to reveal they took money instead
  • Minimize the Significance

    • Empathize and downplay the severity of the act
    • Makes it easier for the liar to confess
    • Example: Suggesting it’s understandable if money was taken for prom

Conclusion

  • Importance of these techniques in various relationships (parents, spouse, coworkers)
  • Emphasis on ethical use of these strategies
  • Vanessa Van Edwards’ book: Human Lie Detection and Body Language 101