"We're told to "trust our gut," and to look for shifty eyes or nervous fidgeting. Detectives in movies and TV shows spot liars through micro-expressions. Yet across hundreds of experiments, the average rate of accurate lie-truth discrimination is 54% (Bond & DePaulo, 2006). In fact, computers often outperform judges on deciding who will skip bail, and seasoned police officers who are most confident in their "lie-detecting" abilities are often the least accurate (Gladwell, 2019)."
"Even professionals can't reliably spot liars. You don't have to spot a lie in the moment-patterns and inconsistencies reveal the truth over time. Align your actions with your own values, regardless of whether someone is being truthful. The pain of deceit and betrayal is often compounded by self-blame. Here's the truth: Even the world's best experts can't reliably spot a lie (Gladwell, 2019)."
Missing a lie is a universal human experience rooted in biology, psychology, and social structures. Even top experts and confident professionals struggle to distinguish lies from truth reliably, with average accuracy near chance and seasoned officers often least accurate. Human cues like shifty eyes or micro-expressions are poor indicators, and computers sometimes outperform human judges in related decisions. The rise of AI deepfakes and sophisticated misinformation will worsen detection challenges. Instead of expecting instant lie-spotting, focus on patterns, inconsistencies, critical thinking, trustworthy allies, and aligning actions with personal values regardless of others' truthfulness.
Read at Psychology Today
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