PsychologyPsychology

By Jon MatsonBy Jon Matson

Today, we will be looking at Today, we will be looking at psychology. (obviously) But psychology. (obviously) But

more specifically…more specifically…

How many of you watch the How many of you watch the show Lie to Me?show Lie to Me?

Hmmmm?Hmmmm?

Well, basically, it’s a show Well, basically, it’s a show where a group of people are where a group of people are

hired by other people and use hired by other people and use their skills in psychology to read their skills in psychology to read

other people to tell if they are other people to tell if they are lying.lying.

Whewww…Whewww…

I know, it can be very I know, it can be very confusing…confusing…

But back to the topic.But back to the topic.

The way they tell if someone is The way they tell if someone is lying in the show may seem lying in the show may seem

almost like magic, but it is just almost like magic, but it is just science!science!

But it’s not as easy as they But it’s not as easy as they make it seem…make it seem…

The shows main fictional The shows main fictional character, Dr. Cal Lightman, is character, Dr. Cal Lightman, is loosely based on the very real loosely based on the very real

Dr. Paul Ekman.Dr. Paul Ekman.

But they do seem to have a lot But they do seem to have a lot in common…in common…

Ekman discovered Ekman discovered microexpressions because his microexpressions because his mother committed suicide (he’s mother committed suicide (he’s

the real discoverer), and the real discoverer), and Lightman discovered Lightman discovered

microexpressions because his microexpressions because his mother committed suicide.mother committed suicide.

Exactly how loosely is this?Exactly how loosely is this?

And to top it off, Ekman did help And to top it off, Ekman did help the police catch criminals at one the police catch criminals at one

point of his life.point of his life.

Ekman is known to be the Ekman is known to be the leading expert of non-verbal leading expert of non-verbal

communication and emotions.communication and emotions.

Ekman is 75 as of this year.Ekman is 75 as of this year.

In the show, they mainly use In the show, they mainly use microexpressions and body microexpressions and body

language to determine if language to determine if someone is lying.someone is lying.

But it is not nearly that simple.But it is not nearly that simple.

These things they use only These things they use only determine the emotion they are determine the emotion they are

feeling.feeling.

If they are lying lies completely If they are lying lies completely to psychology.to psychology.

Although microexpressions are Although microexpressions are only apparent when somebody only apparent when somebody is trying to repress or conceal is trying to repress or conceal

an emotion.an emotion.

But take pathological liars. But take pathological liars. Some can lie and almost Some can lie and almost

nobody can detect it.nobody can detect it.

Maybe not even Dr. Ekman.Maybe not even Dr. Ekman.

So this is considered by most to So this is considered by most to be a somewhat inexact science.be a somewhat inexact science.

But it almost always works.But it almost always works.

Have any of you ever heard of Have any of you ever heard of the “Diogenes Project”?the “Diogenes Project”?

I didn’t expect you to, for they I didn’t expect you to, for they renamed it the “Wizards renamed it the “Wizards

Project”.Project”.

It was a project that two It was a project that two psychologists did to test the psychologists did to test the everyday person’s ability to everyday person’s ability to

detect lies.detect lies.

Most people failed miserably.Most people failed miserably.

But about 50 people, of the But about 50 people, of the 20,000 people tested, had the 20,000 people tested, had the

near perfect ability to detect lies.near perfect ability to detect lies.

That’s a mere 0.025% of the That’s a mere 0.025% of the testers!testers!

The group that was most adept The group that was most adept at detecting lies was… Guess at detecting lies was… Guess

who?who?

The Secret Service.The Secret Service.

And guess who one of the And guess who one of the psychologist who the conducted psychologist who the conducted

the project.the project.

Dr. Paul Ekman.Dr. Paul Ekman.

Big surprise, huh?Big surprise, huh?

They then studied the wizard’s They then studied the wizard’s (as the 50 people were later (as the 50 people were later

called) to learn more about how called) to learn more about how to detect if someone is lying. to detect if someone is lying.

These people can detect lies These people can detect lies with no training.with no training.

They do exactly what Lightman They do exactly what Lightman and his group do with no formal and his group do with no formal

training.training.

Cool, huh?Cool, huh?

And now, let’s look at some And now, let’s look at some examples.examples.

This is obviously happiness.This is obviously happiness.

Anger.Anger.

Disgust.Disgust.

Fear?Fear?

Sadness.Sadness.

Surprise. (duh)Surprise. (duh)

I bet you guys don’t know what this I bet you guys don’t know what this one is.one is.

That last one was contempt. It’s That last one was contempt. It’s the disregard for someone who the disregard for someone who you believe is lesser than you. you believe is lesser than you. (for all you who didn’t know)(for all you who didn’t know)

All of these are universal All of these are universal emotions, and are all well emotions, and are all well

known.known.

That except for contempt.That except for contempt.

Less is known about contempt Less is known about contempt than the other ones.than the other ones.

These emotions are biological, These emotions are biological, rather than environmental as we rather than environmental as we

once thought.once thought.

Ekman was the one who figured Ekman was the one who figured out that we are born with out that we are born with

emotions.emotions.

I hope you learned something, I hope you learned something, and I hope you enjoyed my and I hope you enjoyed my

presentation!presentation!