Posted on 08/20/2008 2:03:33 AM PDT by Schnucki
Liars blink less frequently than normal during the lie, and then speed up to around eight times faster than usual afterwards.
The findings, reported in the Journal of Non-verbal Behaviour, means that blink rates could soon be used by professionals, such as the police and security forces, to tell when someone is being duplicitous.
Dr Sharon Leal, co-author of the study at Portsmouth University, said: "It is striking what different patterns in eye blinks emerged for liars and truth tellers.
"Such striking differences in behaviour between liars and truth tellers are rarely seen in deception research."
Researchers studied a group of volunteers as they went about their normal business for ten minutes. A second group were asked to steal an exam paper from an office, then to deny having taken it.
The groups were then asked each to recall exactly what they had been doing.
During the interview their blink rates, which had all been the same at the start, were monitored with electrodes placed above and below and at the sides of the eyes to monitor all movements.
Results show that when the questions were being asked and the answers given, the blink rate in the liars went down. In contrast the truthful group's rate went up, though this could have been down to test anxiety.
Afterwards, the blink rate of the liars increased rapidly, while that of the truth tellers remained the same.
Researchers believe the increased effort involved in telling fibs could be the reason why liars do not blink during the act of lying.
Dr Leal said: "Liars must need to make up their stories and must monitor their fabrication so that they are plausible and adhere to everything the observer knows or might find out.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Seems like it took a long time to figure this out.
Pelosi is the No1 blinker.
Right and how much do people blink when acused of an lie and Are trying to figure out how to explain that to authoritaie.
Liars blink less frequently than normal during the lie, and then speed up to around eight times faster than usual afterwards.
Does this explain why the young lady looks at you with an unblinking gaze, then rapidly flutters her eyelashes? She's thinking about what lie she can tell to best hook her man.
Pelosi is just one more face away from a chin beard.
I don't think she's physically capable of blinking anymore
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There’s more to it. I am told that liars often look top left with their pupils whilst telling the untruth - as if really making things up on the spot.
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My wife does the "rapid flutters" with her eyelashes, but I think she's releasing a "stun beam" or something...
By “liars” do they just mean people in the study told to lie? Or do they mean people who lie ALL the time? I’d wonder if people that are congenital liars don’t exhibit this trait?
I can see it now “Why did he have to fry? “Well,he was a blinkin’ son of a gun!”
This theory does not apply to sociopaths. They have no conscience, thus no liar’s guilt, making them very convincing liars. They can say and do anything without flinching or blinking.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BnLozS-TnM
You have to see it to believe it. Many of Barack Obama’s critics have said that he lacks experience and is not ready to be president, but this video shows Obama himself questioning whether or not he is ready.
Obama in 2004: “I think I’ve been very clear! There’s a Presidential election in four years, and I AM NOT running for President in four years!”
Professional liars will read this and practice controlling their blink rates. There are already people who know how to fake polygraph tests and breeze through with flying colors.
Professional liars already know that in US culture, you must look someone straight in the eye, or you are thought to be lying. So professional liars will be the ones who look you continuously in the eye.
Good information to have when looking for replicants.
Liars also avoid direct eye contact.
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