◦
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Analysis of South Carolina's Governor, Mark Sanford's Press Conference
Role analysis, I believe he is truly sorry for what has happened, but why is he sorry? Is it for his family, for his friend, for his career/job? After reviewing the tape this is the order of importance:
1)Friends
2)Career/Job
3)Family
I based this on his emotional level as he is speaking about these things. Generally there could be a build up as the speech goes on, but in this speech if I had to rank the emotional level it would be 3 for family, 7 for friend, and 5 for job.
00:58 Eye Blocking, is a nonverbal behavior that can occur when we feel
threatened and/or don’t like what we see. In this case he doesn't like seeing the reporters and the media.
01:18 Looking Down, Shame. People who are feeling ashamed, embarrassed, or sad, deliberately look away. Shame is a negative emotion occurring when we evaluate things as going worse than we expected.
01:55 Slight Lip Lick (see below).
01:59 Microexpression Subtle, Sadness, in mouth only.
Generally he doesn't want to look straight ahead.
02:14 Lip Lick, is a pacifying behavior (often referred to as an adapter in academia literature) serving to calm us down after we experience something unpleasant or downright nasty.
03:00 More emotional when speaking about his friend than about his wife and family.
03:47 Lip Lick, pacifying behavior.
05:20 More comfortable speaking about faith, looking more straight on. This is odd because there should be some shame or emotion to convey he is in turmoil with his faith and what he has done. I believe this is a sign that is is most sorry for being caught.
06:15 Eyes Down, Shame.
07:26 Full Shoulder Shrug, this needs to be evaluated in the context of what is being said. The shrug is a universal gesture that is used to show that a person does not know or understand what you are talking about. In this case he doesn't know how this will end.
07:46 Expel Air, Relief.
08:11 Lip Lick, pacifying behavior.
08:20 Becoming more emotional over resignation (not of his governorship).
Voice Analysis
Final Analysis
It appears because of his emotional level, and his conversation with his father-in-law two weeks prior, that his marriage was in extreme jeopardy before this getaway. His last conversation with his father-in-law was not as civil as he portrays it in this speech. Due to his high emotional response when speaking of his friend and political partner, he had higher aspirations than just Governor. I believe he does not want his wife speaking to the media. It may also be that he wanted to get "caught" if his marriage was over, this could have been orchestrated to be as sensational as it was, to control the revelation, gain the upper hand, and receive national exposure. It would have been very messy if this was a drawn out divorce, that his career would not be able to handle. His resignation (not of the state) is an attempt to convey punishment.◦
Breaking News- Journal of Nonverbal Behavior Lastest Issue Released
Volume 33, Number 2 / June, 2009
On the Correspondence Between Physiological and Nonverbal Responses: Nonverbal Behavior Accompanying Challenge and Threat
Abstract: Little is known regarding the covariance between physiological and nonverbal responses to “stressful” situations. We argue that physiological markers are especially likely to be accompanied by psychologically-meaningful nonverbal behavior. Within “stressful” motivated performance situations, complex patterns of cardiovascular (CV) reactivity mark challenge and threat motivational states relevant to confidence. We expected the CV challenge and threat markers to be distinguished on the basis of facial and vocal confidence. In a test of this hypothesis, participants’ cardiovascular (CV) responses were recorded during a videotaped social interaction. As expected, the CV challenge marker was associated with more vocal confidence and less facial confidence than the CV threat marker. These findings are related to the complexity of human responses to motivated performances.
Content Type Journal Article
Category Brief Report
DOI 10.1007/s10919-008-0064-8
Authors
Max Weisbuch, Tufts University Department of Psychology 490 Boston Avenue Medford MA 02155 USA
Mark D. Seery, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York Buffalo NY USA
Nalini Ambady, Tufts University Department of Psychology 490 Boston Avenue Medford MA 02155 USA
Jim Blascovich, University of California Santa Barbara CA USA
Journal Journal of Nonverbal Behavior
Online ISSN 1573-3653
Print ISSN 0191-5886
Journal Volume Volume 33
Journal Issue Volume 33, Number 2 / June, 2009
Looking at the Audience Improves Music Appreciation
Abstract: The establishment of eye contact between a musician and his or her listeners, and its influence on musical perception, has been neglected by musical performance research. Two experiments were conducted to verify the hypothesis that increased eye contact between musician and audience leads the latter to better appreciate the music performed by the former. In the first experiment a musician played and sang three pieces, whereas in the second study he played without vocal support. The results of both experiments showed that directing the musicians’ gaze toward the audience enhanced the qualities of the musical experience.
Content Type Journal Article
Category Original Paper
DOI 10.1007/s10919-008-0062-x
Authors
Alessandro Antonietti, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart Department of Psychology Largo Gemelli 1 20123 Milan Italy
Daniela Cocomazzi, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart Department of Psychology Largo Gemelli 1 20123 Milan Italy
Paola Iannello, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart Department of Psychology Largo Gemelli 1 20123 Milan Italy
Journal Journal of Nonverbal Behavior
Online ISSN 1573-3653
Print ISSN 0191-5886
Journal Volume Volume 33
Journal Issue Volume 33, Number 2 / June, 2009
Recognizing Emotions in a Foreign Language
Abstract: Expressions of basic emotions (joy, sadness, anger, fear, disgust) can be recognized pan-culturally from the face and it is assumed that these emotions can be recognized from a speaker’s voice, regardless of an individual’s culture or linguistic ability. Here, we compared how monolingual speakers of Argentine Spanish recognize basic emotions from pseudo-utterances (“nonsense speech”) produced in their native language and in three foreign languages (English, German, Arabic). Results indicated that vocal expressions of basic emotions could be decoded in each language condition at accuracy levels exceeding chance, although Spanish listeners performed significantly better overall in their native language (“in-group advantage”). Our findings argue that the ability to understand vocally-expressed emotions in speech is partly independent of linguistic ability and involves universal principles, although this ability is also shaped by linguistic and cultural variables.
Content Type Journal Article
Category Original Paper
DOI 10.1007/s10919-008-0065-7
Authors
Marc D. Pell, McGill University School of Communication Sciences and Disorders 1266, ave. des Pins Ouest Montréal QC H3G 1A8 Canada
Laura Monetta, McGill University School of Communication Sciences and Disorders 1266, ave. des Pins Ouest Montréal QC H3G 1A8 Canada
Silke Paulmann, McGill University School of Communication Sciences and Disorders 1266, ave. des Pins Ouest Montréal QC H3G 1A8 Canada
Sonja A. Kotz, Max Planck Institute of Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Research Group on Neurocognition of Rhythm in Communication Leipzig Germany
Journal Journal of Nonverbal Behavior
Online ISSN 1573-3653
Print ISSN 0191-5886
Journal Volume Volume 33
Journal Issue Volume 33, Number 2 / June, 2009
Do Iconic Hand Gestures Really Contribute to the Communication of Semantic Information in a Face-to-Face Context?
Abstract: Previous research has shown that iconic gestures are effective at communicating semantic information, particularly about the size and relative position of objects. However, the conclusions of these experiments have been somewhat limited by the fact that the methodology has typically involved presenting gesture–speech samples on video rather than in an actual face-to-face context. Because these different viewing conditions can impact on addressees’ behavior and perception, and therefore potentially impact on the amount of information they receive from gestures, the present study compares the communicative effectiveness of iconic gestures when viewed in a face-to-face context compared to when viewed on video. The results are quite striking in that gestures seemed at least as effective, and in some cases even more effective at communicating position and size information when they occurred in the face-to-face condition compared to video.
Content Type Journal Article
Category Original Paper
DOI 10.1007/s10919-008-0063-9
Authors
Judith Holler, University of Manchester School of Psychological Sciences Coupland Building 1 Manchester M13 9PL UK
Heather Shovelton, University of Manchester School of Psychological Sciences Coupland Building 1 Manchester M13 9PL UK
Geoffrey Beattie, University of Manchester School of Psychological Sciences Coupland Building 1 Manchester M13 9PL UK
Journal Journal of Nonverbal Behavior
Online ISSN 1573-3653
Print ISSN 0191-5886
Journal Volume Volume 33
Journal Issue Volume 33, Number 2 / June, 2009
Parents’ Beliefs about Emotions and Children’s Recognition of Parents’ Emotions
Abstract: This study investigated parents’ emotion-related beliefs, experience, and expression, and children’s recognition of their parents’ emotions with 40 parent-child dyads. Parents reported beliefs about danger and guidance of children’s emotions. While viewing emotion-eliciting film clips, parents self-reported their emotional experience and masking of emotion. Children and observers rated videos of parents watching emotion-eliciting film clips. Fathers reported more masking than mothers and their emotional expressions were more difficult for both observers and children to recognize compared with mothers’ emotional expressions. For fathers, but not mothers, showing clearer expressions was related to children’s general skill at recognizing emotional expressions. Parents who believe emotions are dangerous reported greater masking of emotional expression. Contrary to hypothesis, when parents strongly believe in guiding their child’s emotion socialization, children showed less accurate recognition of their parents’ emotions.
Content Type Journal Article
Category Original Paper
DOI 10.1007/s10919-008-0066-6
Authors
Julie C. Dunsmore, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Department of Psychology Blacksburg VA 24061-0436 USA
Pa Her, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Department of Psychology Blacksburg VA 24061-0436 USA
Amy G. Halberstadt, North Carolina State University Department of Psychology Raleigh NC USA
Marie B. Perez-Rivera, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Department of Psychology Blacksburg VA 24061-0436 USA
Journal Journal of Nonverbal Behavior
Online ISSN 1573-3653
Print ISSN 0191-5886
Journal Volume Volume 33
Journal Issue Volume 33, Number 2 / June, 2009◦
Monday, June 29, 2009
Body Language in Sports
The funny thing about the words "body language" is they show up in the news most often to describe victory and defeat in sports, but there is much more to body language in sports.
In movement games like basketball and soccer the players are making decisions based on the opponents body language every second. Which way is the opponent likely to go- to the right or the left. What is the expression on their face, likely can tell me if they have numbers, or the advantage. Better players do this very well.
The other side is the strategy sports like American football. For the most part it is being ignored at even the top levels.
When I first noticed this was when I was playing football, I played defensive tackle and during the offensive part of the practice there was one coach that would look directly at the hole the ball would be run to when the huddle broke. Since it was practice the coaches were right behind the huddle, making it really easy to see where the ball was going. It was a huge advantage for me. If i knew it was coming at me I'd hold my ground and wait for the ball carrier to come to me, if it was to the other side I could basically ignore the offensive tackle, do a spin move to the other side of the field next to the play- It worked perfectly... except once when I was in too good at getting over to the other side of the line, the running back cut back to my assigned side of the line... "where the h@#l were you warr..."
If I was a defensive back I would be taking it all in: Does the receiver move into starting position faster when it is a pass play; Do they follow the route with their eyes before the snap; how closely is the receiver looking at the defensive setup; what is the quarterback doing; do the line man act differently when approaching the line when it is a run/pass; what is the coach playing the call doing right after the play is being brought in- does he have happy feet, or nervous whenever the long ball is thrown. There are so many players and situations to account for, but when you pick up on a "tell" it is like you were in their huddle, and if that happens 3-4+ plays a game that is an advantage. Colts quarterback, Peyton Manning watches his own game film and analyzes his own non verbal behavior to see if he can tell if the play called was a pass or run, there are times he sees the smallest tell in his own body language.
No matter what the sport, from soccer to chess, if you analyze the opponent it can lead to advantages◦
Author Dan Hill being Interviewed
Dan Hill wrote the book Emotionomics that combines emotions and Paul Ekman's Facial Action Coding System in business decisions as it relates to products and consumers.
Dan Hill of Sensory Logic talks with Senior Writer Diane Brady about facial coding, emotional intelligence, and the growing role of emotions in every aspect of business
from Business Week.◦
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Breaking News- Lie to Me DVD Press Release
ACADEMY AWARD NOMINEE TIM ROTH UNRAVELS THE TRUTH
IN THE SUSPENSEFUL CRIME DRAMA
Lie To Me
SEASON ONE
Season One Of The Hit Series Arrives On Blu-ray Disc And DVD
August 25 From Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
“...an unusually meaty, thoughtful and thought-provoking crime drama...
dramatic and mesmerizing”
- Tom Shales, Washington Post
CENTURY CITY, CA – The average person tells three lies in ten minutes of conversation. From writer Samuel Baum (“The Evidence”) and the executive producers of “24” and “Arrested Development” comes “Lie To Me,” a compelling drama series inspired by the scientific discoveries of Dr. Paul Ekman, a real-life specialist who can read clues embedded in the human face, body and voice to expose both truth and lies in criminal investigations. On Blu-ray Disc and DVD, the first season debuts August 25 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
“Easily one of the season’s best new shows” (Washington Post), “Lie To Me” stars OscarÒ nominee* Tim Roth (“The Incredible Hulk”) as Dr. Cal Lightman, the world’s leading deception expert, and his company The Lightman Group, who study facial expressions and involuntary body language to discover if someone is lying and why. Assisting federal law enforcement, government agencies and local police with their most difficult cases, the agency consists of Dr. Gillian Foster (Kelli Williams, “The Practice”), a gifted psychologist; Eli Loker (Brendan Hines, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles), Lightman’s professional partner and lead researcher; and Ria Torres (Monica Raymund, “Law & Order Special Victims Unit”), the newest member of the agency with an innate ability to read people. In the groundbreaking first season of the hit show, the drama unfolds as the team is faced with numerous cases to unravel including a student fleeing a murder scene, a college basketball player accused of accepting a bribe from his university, a NASA test pilot accused of intentionally crashing a multimillion dollar aircraft, and much more!
The “Lie To Me” Blu-ray and DVD sets include 13 episodes, featurettes, deleted scenes and a gag reel, and will be sold for a suggested retail price of $59.99 U.S. / $69.99 Canada and $49.98 U.S. / $59.98 Canada, respectively. Prebook date is July 15.
*1996: Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Rob Roy
Synopsis
In this powerful and engaging new drama from Imagine Television, the producers of 24, Tim Roth stars as Dr. Cal Lightman, a deception expert whose uncanny ability to read facial expressions and body language makes him a virtual human polygraph. Joined by psychologist Dr. Gillian Foster, Lightman tackles compelling cases of sabotage, scandal and murder, always uncovering the one thing that matters most—the truth.
Blu-ray Disc Specs:
“Lie To Me” Season One Blu-ray Disc is presented in HD (1.78:1 aspect ratio) with English 5.1 DTS HD-MA and Spanish and French subtitles. Individual disc content is as follows:
Disc One
· Episodes:
o Pilot
o Moral Waiver
o A Perfect Score
o Love Always
o Unchained
Disc Two
· Episodes:
o Do No Harm
o The Best Policy
o Depraved Heart
o Life is Priceless
o Better Half
Disc Three
· Episodes:
o Undercover
o Blinded
o Sacrifice
· Bonus Features
o The Truth About Lies
o Deleted Scenes
DVD Specs:
“Lie To Me” Season One will be presented in SD (1.78:1 aspect ratio) with English 5.1 DOLBY DIGITAL with Spanish, French and Portuguese subtitles. Individual disc content is as follows:
Disc One
· Episodes:
o Pilot
o Moral Waiver
o A Perfect Score
o Love Always
Disc Two
· Episodes:
o Unchained
o Do No Harm
o The Best Policy
o Depraved Heart
Disc Three
· Episodes:
o Life is Priceless
o Better Half
o Undercover
o Blinded
Disc Four
· Episodes
o Sacrifice
· Bonus Features
o The Lightman Group Lie Detection Tutorials
o Play ALL
o Intro
o Anger
o Contempt
o Disgust
o Fear
o Happiness
o Sad
o Surprise
“Lie To Me” Season One
Street Date: August 25, 2009
Order Date: July 15, 2009
Pricing: $59.99 U.S. / $69.99 Canada (Blu-ray Disc)
$49.98 U.S. / $59.98 Canada (DVD)
Catalog Numbers: 2260931 (Blu-ray Disc)
2259759 (DVD)
Feature Run Time: 605 minutes
MPAA Rating: NR
Closed Captioned: Yes
______________________________________________
Help support this blog by preordering it:
◦
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Great Article About Body Language
http://www.forbes.com/2009/06/23/body-language-first-impression-forbes-woman-leadership-communication.html
This is a must read for women in the office setting.
Some of the things you will learn about are:
--Tilting your head--a sign of listening that can be misinterpreted as one of submission or even flirting.
--Folding your hands on your lap--hiding your hands under a conference table or desk, for example, signals untrustworthiness; a cue from ancient times, when men would reveal their palms to show they were unarmed.
--Crossing your legs--a sign of resistance.
--Excessive smiling--an indication that you lack gravitas and seriousness.
--Folding your arms in front of you--translates to insecurity or defensiveness.
--Playing with or tugging at your hair, jewelry or clothes--can signal distress or, again, be misinterpreted as flirting.
A must read! Check out the 'Seven Common Body Language Mistakes in Pictures' included in the article.◦
Stop the Crying Already... Besides You're Not Really Crying
This is something you got to learn to detect, and perhaps is the easiest to detect. It is so unnatural.
Video One:
Investigators were trying to locate a schoolteacher, Leah Walsh who went missing after calling her husband to say her car had broken down with a flat tire on the side of a Long Island highway, in October of 2008.
Click here to view the video
Several Things do not add up and are strange about the husband, as he pleads for her return, and she can have his car, and with the crying and a quick snap out of that emotional state.
Video Two:
At 1:10 into the video Ronald Cummings cries and pleads for his daughter, Haleigh Cummings return.
There are quite some differnces in crying styles seen in the video. With Ron there are no tears, holds facial expression too long which is a sign of a forced emotion (unless he is in a full sadness with tears and tension in other parts of the face like others in the video do show).
There are many more examples, such as Susan Smith's plea for her kids return and I have seen this in countless other spouses and parents.
If you hear this constructed "emotion" be warned something is not right about the situation, and they are acting... badly acting.◦
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Subtle Expression Training Tool (SETT)
I was looking through the search terms you visitors use to get to my blog, and I noticed several people searching for the Subtle Expression Training Tool (Sett). Developed by Dr. Paul Ekman, but unfortunately this software is unavailable at this time. I got an email from his office and it is expected to be released again around the end of the summer 2009.
It used to be available and it is really the next step beyond Microexpressions. It examines how the core emotions can be shown on only part of the face. They occur when an emotion is first beginning. They also occur when someone is trying to suppress any sign of how they are feeling. Recognizing true feelings is important to the craft.
One thing you can do now: When I got the software it came with Ekman's book listed below. This book is the basis of the training and all of the expressions and emotions you will be learning with the training tool is explained in detail. So if you cannot wait, I'd suggest getting a head start.
◦
Web Site To HELP You Lie- Say It Is Not So
At no time in the past or future is a blog like mine needed more than it is right now. Liars and cheats have a tool at their disposal to help them pull off thier lies!
- Virtual Hotel Service
- Virtual Doctor's Office
- Virtual Buddy
- Virtual Travel Agency
- Virtual Seminar/Training
- Worldwide Telephone Service
- Rescue Call Services
- Custom Alibis For Discrete Affairs
- Untraceable Phone Numbers
- Virtual Employment
- Sensitive Matters
- Pretend You Are Anywhere
- Discreet Shopping
- Virtual Business/Office Phone #
Now you will not be able to get away with an iron clad alibi but you could get enough to convince others that may be suspious. It is scarry what people will do and how much they will pay to do whatever they are doing.
◦
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Roadside Crosses: A Kathryn Dance Novel Releases this Week
The Monterey Peninsula is rocked when a killer begins to leave roadside crosses beside local highways -- not in memoriam, but as announcements of his intention to kill. And to kill in particularly horrific and efficient ways: using the personal details about the victims that they've carelessly posted in blogs and on social networking websites.
The case lands on the desk of Kathryn Dance, the California Bureau of Investigation's foremost kinesics -- body language-expert. She and Deputy Michael O'Neil follow the leads to Travis Brigham, a troubled teenager whose role in a fatal car accident has inspired vicious attacks against him on a popular blog, The Chilton Report.
◦
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Lie to Me's New Head Writer
Shawn Ryan.
He is the creator of one a fav shows in TV history, The Shield. Ryan is also a producer/writer on The Unit.
Now what does Ryan need to do?
Stay true to the psychology of Ekman, BUT include many more theories of other leaders in the field of deception (many of them are listed on the right hand side) AND include expert theory from other related areas of Academia (such as top people from communication schools with an expertise in nonverbal communication, statement analysis, and abnormal psychology, and criminology).
Introduce some more character development and possibly more characters. With the exception of Torres most of the cast is cookie cutter of Lightman, and she is working that way.
Torres should remain true to her natural talent, and in subtle ways, play the part of the critic that is wary of some of Lightman's analysis, and needs to have the attitude that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, and we shouldn't read something into everything, and not be so willing to accept Lightman.
Foster should be more the Abnormal Psychology expert, but also she should be the organized one of the group. It should be clearer that while Lightman has talent, Foster is the one with the brains behind the group and is making the Lightman group successful.
Loker is the best positioned character on the show. All good fiction needs the characters to grow through change and he has changed the most in the first season by going from a habitual truth teller to pulling off the biggest and most destructive lie that placed the firm's future at risk. The people who are most successful at analysis of body language in real life are sales people, womanizers, gamblers at poker, and manipulative deviants. While most of these endeavors are not the highest on our moral gauges, they are interesting... in kind of a bad boy way. What better fit for the show. Using his skill to make the world a better place while at the same time bedding a random girl.
Lightman needs some work. Yes, there is the mystery of why he is tortured. But Ekman (who Lightman is loosely based one) comes off as one of the most likable guys you could meet. So likable you have to wonder does he really like me; is it an act; where do I really stand; am I being manipulated. Likable, yet creepy, if you know the whole Ekman. Hell, Ekman could be a serial killer, could get away with about a dozen murders before someone would get serious about him as a person of interest. That is Interesting when you really think about it. I don't want to turn Lightman into Ekman, we only need one of each of them! I sometimes identify with Lighman in this way: when people close to me say, "You know for someone who knows this stuff you sure don't conduct and show yourself like you don't know anything." Lightman needs to be tortured because he sees everything, he has sensory overload. This has caused him to be constantly disappointed with every relationship he has had and with those he is close to now; he struggles with this because he realizes he has never been loved or loved another person. What is love? He needs to struggle with compartmentalizing everything in his life. He needs a couple of scotches at night to slow down the thinking and attempt to turn it off. He yearns for more in the relationship area but knows relationships do not last (he knows it is not better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved) he'd rather sit this one (and all of them) out to avoid the eventual pain. He struggles with philosophical questions. It is tough to examine and understand more than anyone else what it is to be human, know others do not care about that, and to come with grips with some tough questions (Read a book called "The Dream Weaver" by Bowen, that is published by the company I currently work for, to understand the type of questions I mean). To sum up the main character, he needs to be more understood by the audience
(on the surface level) , but then the audience will realize, Do we really know him?!?! subtle character development. Lightman has to potential of being the most complex character of all of television history.
Supporting characters: He has a ton of employees, I see them in staff meetings. Get rid of all but 10-12. Give each one of them there one episode where they play a little bit bigger role, LITTLE BIT. It could be a small dialogue/conversation about anything- the show has to answer the question why does he need so many people. Have a News Analysis Division (like I do consulting for news organizations) where tapes and interviews are broken down; have a Negotiation Division that works with arbitrators, Wall Street Firms, and unions/companies; have a Ligation Department that works on jury selection, jury evaluation during trials, witness evaluation and coaching. Maybe a research/training division...
What the show should be about (beyond the 10 or so show ideas that popped in your head when you read the stuff about the Lighman Divisions)? Well I am probably most clear on this because I see it in the feedback on my postings here. People like the show for different reasons, the same as my website visitor/readers. Some like the celeb postings, some the scientific aspects, some the crime stuff, some want to learn, etc... Mix it up.
One thing that is taken too lightly on the show, because we all lie, is lying can have serious consequences- especially in high stakes scenarios. What about someone from the Lightman Group "knowing" the person on trial is not lying, but because the judge is no better than any other judge at detecting deception 50/50- they go to jail for life... and we have to let the judicial system play itself out, even though it is not "right" and the end result is not fair. It is the curse of knowing more... What about the missing or abducted person, and immediately we know there is something not right with the spouse or a parent, yet somehow the detectives do not think they had anything to do with it - even though the stats say it is them- even though they are not following protocol and allowing more time before the arrest to gather evidence and letting them talk to the press to "hang themselves..." It is the powerless to do anything characters, because they know more...
What about the ethics of training to help someone lie, Lightman has said he won't do it on a previous episode, but what about all the training he has done for the FBI and CIA... it doesn't take a rocket science to retrofit his teaching...
Who's side is the right side. What if we taught a friend/group years ago to detect lying to help the "Drug War" and today our friends have become our enemy and is using the knowledge to promote things that could be harmful to us now. I'm not crazy, I just observe (and I know the difference between what is right and wrong) but not everyone does. Terrorists attacked our country and the symbol of our financial system (and should be punished to the fullest extent possible) and two years later after much of the financial system lies in desperate ruins because of greed and irresponsibility, I've heard normal Americans spout some of the same rhetoric that the terrorist did and want more than prison sentences and new rules. Lightman's (and Ekman's) declarations about needing a Constitution before working for them, is not as black and white as it first sounds.
Then there is the problem with "naturals" or "wizards" where emotions can interfere with their ability to see the "truth." This can be utilized several ways as it was slightly when Torres boyfriend was missing. At a deeper level Torres needs to remain uninvested in the situation/case, but several times in the first season she took it to a personal level. If this happens there should be consequences... Lightman should work to protect her from emotional attachment. The viewers wish they had her ability, but they haven't seen the downside yet...
There are so many areas, so little time.
Now the kicker... we are being "taught" things on the show, every episode. They are all pretty obvious about things. Show something, explain it, then show it again. It works. They should keep doing it. Place things in episodes 3-4 before the episode that explains the nonverbal communication. Simple, subtle things, like the way an actors feet are pointed to another. After the season, perhaps on DVD, it will surprise the now smart viewers in the most pleasant way. Like finding Waldo, or an Easter egg- what better present to the fan. It is different and better than all the symbolism that cult fans see when watching a show like x-files- that weren't even in the creators minds. To complete this is relatively easy, sure you could plan some of them and should, but it would be easier to have an eight hour complete body language class for all cast members- then be sure they can complete subtle items without appearing unnatural.
Shawn Ryan= He's a pro, I've liked and watched each of the shows that I know he was a key part of, but not as religiously as I do "Lie to Me" so I'm sure he is confident and knows what he is doing. I just hope he see this and takes some of my suggestions into consideration. Most shows are good, "Lie to Me" is great, and I want it to be the greatest.◦
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
James Hataway a Person of Interest in the Missing Person Case of Tracy Ocasio
I mentioned last week, when I was on vacation, seeing a news story in Florida. At that time I saw things such as shame while the person was in court, and he was too calm given the circumstances. When I returned home I was seeing if there was any more video of the suspect. I only found this 15 second clip as he is being escorted into a police station where a reporter was asking him questions.
It really is not a great deal of time, but sometimes that is all you have to work with. Normally when I do this type of analysis for television stations I am analyzing an entire interview (which is easier because you can establish a baseline and more easily identify gestures/clusters/and roles) but I thought it might be nice for you to see the type of thing I do for news organizations.
Notice: There was too little tape to do a voice analysis.◦
Body Language for Writers
If you are writing and ignore body language you are not telling the whole story.
I've put together a compilation of quick notes that you can incorporate into your writing. Some have been scientifically proven to not always be absolute indicators of the emotion, but they are so ingrained in our minds for the emotion and are universally accepted as "truths" -they have almost become a cliche'.
Anger
Anger is one expression of fight-or-flight mode --an automatic, instinctive reaction to a threat. In many cases, there is an underlying fear of being harmed. Thanks to autonomic nervous system arousal, the heart rate increases, pupils dilate, and the face may flush. Other signs of anger:
- Balling the fists
- Crossing the arms tightly
- Clenching the fists once arms are crossed
- Tight-lipped smile
- Clenched teeth
- Shaking a finger like a club
- Stabbing a finger at someone
Attraction
- Pupils dilate
- Women will cross and uncross legs to draw attention to them
- Mirroring - (usually unconsciously) mimicking the other person’s body language
Closed to Conversation
- Keeping the hands in the pockets (esp. men)
- Arms and legs crossed
- Sitting back
- Folding the hands together on a table(creates a barrier)
- The "figure-four" leg cross (setting the ankle of one leg on the knee of the other) and then grabbing the lower half of the top leg with both hands.
Openness and Honesty
- Exposure of the palms
- Arms and legs unfolded
- Leaning forward
Submissive Signals
- Smiling - that’s why some people smile when they’re upset or afraid
- Slumping the shoulders
- Doing anything to appear smaller
Distress
- Men in particular have a tendency to stroke or rub the nape of the neck when they’re upset. It acts as a self-soothing gesture to deal with a "pain in the neck." Women tend to cover up the area on the front of their lower neck
- Crossed arms - arms act like a protective barrier
- Self-hugging - arms are crossed, hands gripping upper arms
- One-arm cross - one arm crosses the body to hold or touch the other arm...women keep a hand on a purse or bag strap to make this look more natural
- Clutching a purse, briefcase, or bag with both arms
- Adjusting cuffs or cuff-links (men’s version of the purse-strap grab)
- Folding the hands together in front of the crotch (men)
Lying
Lying causes a subtle tingling in the face and neck, so the gestures below are attempts to eliminate that feeling
- Covering the mouth - can be like a shh gesture, or they may cover the mouth completely - some people try to cover it by coughing
- Touching or rubbing the nose or just below the nose - often a quick, small gesture, not a scratch
- Rubbing the eyes (especially men)
- Scratching the neck with the index finger
Superiority, Confidence, Power, Dominance
- Steepling the fingers (aka setting the tips of the fingers together)
- Folding the hands behind the back
- Thumbs sticking out from pockets when hands are in pockets (can be front or back pockets)
- Hands on hips
- Straddling a chair
- Hands folded behind the head while sitting up (in men; in women this thrusts the breasts out and becomes sexual)◦
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Science behind 'Lie to Me' - Increasing Cognitive Load to Facilitate Lie Detection: The Benefit of Recalling an Event in Reverse Order
You may remember a particular episode where a person was asked to state what they claimed to do as their alibi in reverse order.
For more about the science of deception:
Increasing Cognitive Load to Facilitate Lie Detection: The Benefit of Recalling an Event in Reverse Order. Aldert Vrij , Samantha A. Mann, Ronald P. Fisher, Sharon Leal, Rebecca Milne and Ray Bull, Law and Human Behavior; Volume 32, Number 3 / June, 2008 [Journal Article]
Abstract: In two experiments, we tested the hypotheses that (a) the difference between liars and truth tellers will be greater when interviewees report their stories in reverse order than in chronological order, and (b) instructing interviewees to recall their stories in reverse order will facilitate detecting deception. In Experiment 1, 80 mock suspects told the truth or lied about a staged event and did or did not report their stories in reverse order. The reverse order interviews contained many more cues to deceit than the control interviews. In Experiment 2, 55 police officers watched a selection of the videotaped interviews of Experiment 1 and made veracity judgements. Requesting suspects to convey their stories in reverse order improved police observers’ ability to detect deception and did not result in a response bias.◦
Is He a Lying Dog Who Cheated? Wait! What About the Wife? The Mask of Betrayal
Did Jon Gosselin Cheat?
Are Jon and Kate telling us everything, are they being honest?
Let's examine it closer...
Taking a look at Eliot Spitzer's wife Silda Spitzer; and John Edwards wife Elizabeth Edwards; it is clear the husbands got caught red handed. What is remarkable is how both women show the similar facial expressions.
What am I seeing here? Subtle, subtle, subtle.
LIPS: Their mouths are showing the very tiniest of a social smile. They are having to concentrate on not showing any sadness with their lips. I'm not surprised that they are not showing any teeth- With the perfect smile you can see just a little of the teeth. So what we have here is a clear faintest of a social smile with subtle controlled anger- as evidenced by the "tightness" of their lips- this also means they are not willing to speak.
EYES: They both are showing subtle sadness with their eye brows- see how they slightly are moving downward closest to the nose. The context of the photographs are different- Silda is being photographed at a press conference while Elizabeth is being photographed simply walking. None the less, they are "blocking" with their eye lids. Silda would normally have wide open eyes when "on stage." Blocking is when we close our eyes so we are not "seeing" everything, we may take longer blinks, I like to think of it as a micro rest.
Now let's take a look at Kate Gosselin.
Once again we see the same type of facial expression.
These are not fleeting or micro expressions, they are consistently showing this face for prolong periods of time. This tells us that is is controlled and is masking true emotions.
What we are seeing is the Mask of Betrayal: The universal expression of standing by their man...
◦
Monday, June 15, 2009
What I Learned on the Internet Today
So I was clicking on some of the latest news on the right hand side of this page and I came across something that was interesting.
The article is titled, "Change your body language, attitude"
What I learned is, "Strozzi-Heckler has found that 300 repetitions of something give your body the memory, and after 3,000 repetitions, it becomes part of who you are. "
It is known that if we smile, others that see your smile are likely to smile also. I have also seen this with the raised eyebrows (that we unconsciously do when we see someone we know) if you do it to a stranger they do it back at you.
Our faces, over the years, take on the expression of our most common emotions. Mine is natural, with a subtle down turning of the corners of my lips- Subtle sadness. I'm in my early 40s and have consciously attempted to smile more often. As a practitioner of body language I'm constantly mimicking facial expressions and the body language that I see to gain a deeper understanding of the "feeling" associated with a particular action. Some actions seem so unnatural to me- such as holding hands open and palms facing upward to show openness and honesty... but with this theory of 300-3000 repetitions it would become more natural to me. So with this knowledge we can train ourselves to mimic "good" body language, such as smiling, good posture, open arms, etc. until it become second nature.
http://www.buffalonews.com/185/story/702002.html
◦
The article is titled, "Change your body language, attitude"
What I learned is, "Strozzi-Heckler has found that 300 repetitions of something give your body the memory, and after 3,000 repetitions, it becomes part of who you are. "
It is known that if we smile, others that see your smile are likely to smile also. I have also seen this with the raised eyebrows (that we unconsciously do when we see someone we know) if you do it to a stranger they do it back at you.
Our faces, over the years, take on the expression of our most common emotions. Mine is natural, with a subtle down turning of the corners of my lips- Subtle sadness. I'm in my early 40s and have consciously attempted to smile more often. As a practitioner of body language I'm constantly mimicking facial expressions and the body language that I see to gain a deeper understanding of the "feeling" associated with a particular action. Some actions seem so unnatural to me- such as holding hands open and palms facing upward to show openness and honesty... but with this theory of 300-3000 repetitions it would become more natural to me. So with this knowledge we can train ourselves to mimic "good" body language, such as smiling, good posture, open arms, etc. until it become second nature.
http://www.buffalonews.com/185/story/702002.html
Sunday, June 14, 2009
One Way to Spot a Pedophiles or Shoplifter in Real Life with Their Body Language
This is the one area where I was clearly able to spot before any training in body language.
Note: Everybody acts differently depending on the situation. To say it more concretely, if you see a man you see acting in the way I describe below, he could be acting that way because he HATES kids and becomes nervous around them. I only offer this as a guide to be more aware and careful with your own kids.
I first learned to spot shoplifters while working at a grocery store. I then noticed the same behavior with potential pedophiles after I had my own kids.
The spot or tell is clearly seen when you know what to look for. The first time I saw this I was working in the meat department after school. Everybody had to pass by the meat counter to enter the store and almost immediately I could pick out potential shoplifters. I got so good at it all I had to do was give a quick call to the manager up in the office, he had a one way mirrored window and could watch the shoplifter from his lofty perch. I made the call a couple of times a week, and I only worked there for 2-3 hours an evening.
What to look for? 90% Gestures and 10% eyes.
Both the shoplifter and pedophile uses very little gestures.
Their movements are controlled and planned to the point where it always appearedto me as unnatural.
With the shoplifter they will pick up a few things, but it is all for show- and you can tell it is for show by the way they hold items higher and away from their body- then they pick up the thing they are going to pocket and you can tell by how they reach for it and the speed of their arms and hands. They appear to be browsing but the scan of the store is unnatural and their eyes will even pay much more attention to other people in the store than the actual merchandise. If you want to identify the shoplifter simply concentrate on the lack of gestures and controlled movements.
The pedophile is similar in many ways. When they see a object of their affection they also get "tight" and gesture less. They most often quickly look away, for fear someone will see them watching someone else. They will glance around more, and often will focus on adults closest to who they really want to look at, so they can use their peripheral vision to watch the child. It looks slightly unnatural compared to how others there are acting. They glance at many different people so it does not look obvious that they would be looking at a child, but they will hold the gaze a slight beat or two more than the others he is glancing at. Children are fast and move in a nonstop way, this works to the pedophiles advantage and disadvantage. It allows them to scan, but if you are looking for it, it gets them caught because their gaze settles a beat too long. If you want to identify the potential pedophile simply concentrate on the lack of gestures.
What to do with this information? Nothing and Everything.
I rarely get involved with shoplifters, people are crazy and willing to do all kinds of stupid things for drugs, etc. I can spot undercover security as clearly as the shoplifter (they look both too natural and unnatural; and even though they do not interact with others working at the store you can tell by the way hold eye contact a beat too long, or quickly avoid eye contact with clerks; etc.). A couple of times I've done is a quick double take at the shoplifter, show disgust, and simply walk away- this is enough for security to pick up on them and at least notice them. Other times I have starred at them, I've even acted like security browsing items in the same isle. It all depends on the situation.
Potential pedophiles are a different ball game. I can never be sure why they are acting strangely so I am immediately on guard. I study the person and determine the level of threat. I see if they are alone. If they are alone I'll make it a point to be closer to the individual so I can more closely examine the situation. In my 20 years of being able to see this behavior I've seen 10 or so people that put me on high guard. Of course I can do very little other than make my presence known subtly and not so subtly, and take responsibility for each and every child in the area.
Note: This only works with the strangers. It does not work at all with those who have mastered the art of being placed in an authority position with our children (teachers, camp leaders, etc).
There is also another thing I need to mention, not ALL pedophiles act the same way. We obviously need to be careful and always be on the guard, especially with those we place our trust of our children in.◦
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The "Shot" Heard Around the World
Out on the news wire...
On Tuesday, the White House released a photograph of President Obama nonchalantly leaning back in his chair with his feet on the desk, the soles of his shoes clearly visible--as he spoke on the telephone with Benyamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel.
I will not comment on public officials still in office, per my policy, but as visitor to this site, this has significance.
Lies from Friends/Family and Strangers and How to Tell
In a study of groups of people that knew each other (familiar persons) they were able to able to detect deception when visual cues were withheld.
They also learned, deceptions of strangers were more likely to be detected when visual cues were not withheld.
How we can use this?
- If you are an investigator and you need a family member to verify an alibi, play a segment of an audio tape of the suspect's denial. At the very least you should be able to "read" either stress or relief when you watch them listen to the tape. I always say "mother knows best" and when dealing with a criminal investigation they instinctively tell you much more than they know.
- When dealing with someone you know it may be best to use the telephone to more accurately determine the truth, instead of waiting for a face to face confrontation.
An article from The Journal of Nonverbal Behavior describing this in detail:
Detection of deception in familiar and unfamiliar persons: The effects of
information restriction. Millar, Murray G.; Millar, Karen; Journal of Nonverbal
Behavior, Vol 19(2), Sum 1995. pp. 69-84.
◦
Detection of deception in familiar and unfamiliar persons: The effects of
information restriction. Millar, Murray G.; Millar, Karen; Journal of Nonverbal
Behavior, Vol 19(2), Sum 1995. pp. 69-84.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Masking or Suppressing Facial Expressions
What to look for?
- Narrowing of the eye
- Tense forehead
- Tightened jaw muscles
The more slight and subtle you observe the above to more reliable the read. The quicker you see them, the more reliable they are. If they are shown in more than a subtle expression, or in the extreme, and the longer they appear on the face the LESS reliable is the concealment and more likely you are seeing the beginning of intense anger.
Tense forehead is usually shown in horizontal wrinkles appear across your forehead, in the above photograph a vertical line appears between the eyes on the lower part of the forehead, this usually shown in extreme emotion responses, such as anger and stress.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Is it Fair?
I was setting up a new computer with voice analysis software. I needed to calibrate so I went to uTube and picked one of the latest press conferences from the White House Press Secretary. The video was 40 minutes long and with the complexity of the cameras, screen recording software, and getting it to work all together it took almost the entire 40 minutes.
There were clear times where he show stress and high stress- normal given the environment and the veracity of the press. There was one time when he was being untruthful. I'm not going to get into the specifics, but I would characterize it as a white lie, because it was said to avoid hurting the feelings of another.
With the technologies that are available, and will be in the future, is it fair for everybody to know when everybody is being truthful or under stress? Could it get to the point where we see this real time -in ticker fashion- when watching the news?
Regardless of you answer, there are people like myself, regardless of the technology see these things. I'm on a vacation in Sanibel Island and while watching the local news there was a first court hearing for an accused murderer... and given what I saw while the accused simply stood before the judge- I saw him show shame and other signals that he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar- technology is what it is- but I trust human lie detectors more than technology. You have to ask then why the voice stress analyzer- well the general public trusts technology above people who have been extensively trained to detect emotions and deceit... there still is the "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar attitude" - So I use both.◦
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
"You know I'd never do something that terrible to another human being."
If you get an answer like the above headline, to a question like, "Did you steal that old woman's purse?" You've got someone trying to pull your leg...
It is saying your too good to do that sort of thing. It is avoiding the direct question with an indirect answer. It takes the human element out of the question. The answer is distancing from the actual crime. Whenever someone abstractly denies wrong doing and they are taking the "high road" you are dealing with a liar.
Here is another one along the same lines, "Did you cheat on me with Linda?"
"I could never do something so wrong in the eyes of God..."
(whenever someone uses God be on the lookout, that is another sign, more on that in another post.)
Here is another example from the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin:
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin,The , July, 2001 by Joe Navarro, John R. Schafer
"The young mother leaned back and cleared her throat. Her eyes teared and her voice quivered as she explained how her baby disappeared. Her clasped hands trembled slightly and her feet pointed toward the door. Her demeanor appeared too subdued. Reluctant to call the mother a liar, the investigator asked her if she had a reason to lie. She answered, "I never lie. My mother taught me always to tell the truth." The investigator had seen and heard enough--he asked the woman to take a polygraph examination. During the postpolygraph interview, the woman confessed that she had suffocated her baby. Both her verbal and nonverbal behaviors had revealed the gruesome truth."◦
Monday, June 1, 2009
Ronald Cummings on the Today Show: Language Slip
"Where she used to reside..."
Wonder why he didn't say, "This is her room."
For more on this topic, I wrote about this when I believed there might be a shred of hope she was still alive but left out the details, click here
Kicker is, he probably didn't actually kill her, but he will be charged with a slew of things after the fact. I have viewed several interviews from different times after her "disappearance" and it is clear that he knows what happened and is protecting himself and others at this point.◦
Paul Ekman with 'Lie To Me' writer Josh Singer at APS Conference
Filmed at Association for Psychological Science (APS) Conference May 23, 2009.
During the recent Association for Psychological Science (APS) convention, Ekman and the show’s head writer Samuel Baum were interviewed in a popular session, and other scientists detailed their research based on his FACS system in separate talks.
Part 1
Part 2
Part3
For more about this discussion, visit Lies, Lies, Lies
PsychCentral.com - Boston,MA,USA
By Sandra Kiume Psychologist Paul Ekman is a pioneer in deception research who heads a high profile consulting firm that works with the FBI and other big ...◦
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
