Miron Zuckerman

Verbal and Nonverbal Communication of Deception1

Publisher Summary Lying and lie detection are the two components that, together, make up the exchange called as the “communication of deception.” Deception is an act that is intended to foster in another person a belief or understanding that the deceiver considers false. This chapter presents a primarily psychological point of view and a relatively microanalysis of the verbal and nonverbal exchange between the deceiver and the lie detector. The chapter discusses the definition of deception. It describes the deceivers perspective in lie-detection, including the strategies of deception and behaviors associated with lie-telling. The lie-detectors perspective is also discussed in the chapter, and it has described behaviors associated with the judgments of deception and strategies of lie detection. The chapter discusses the outcomes of the deceptive communication process—that is, the accuracy of lie detection—and explores methodological issues, channel effects in the detection of deception, and other factors affecting the accuracy of lie detection.

On the Importance of Self-Determination for Intrinsically-Motivated Behavior

Yoked pairs of subjects solved puzzles such that one member of each pair was given choice about what puzzles to work on and how much time to allot to each, while the yoked subject was assigned the same puzzles and time allotments as those chosen by the first subject. It was predicted and found that subjects who chose the activities and time allotments -in other words, who had additional self-determination--would be more intrinsically motivated than subjects doing the same activity without choice.

Comparison of Three Models for Predicting Altruistic Behavior

This study compared three models for predicting altruistic behavior. Blood donations were examined as a function of intention (Fishbeins model), moral norms and ascription of responsibilit y (Schwartzs model), and attitudes and self-monitoring (Snyders model). Donating behavior was shown to be predicted best as a function of intentions and attitudes (R — .49), while intentions were best described as a function of attitudes, social norms, and moral norms (R — .55). These results supported Fishbeins.model, with the qualification of adding a direct attitude-behavior link. Only qualified support was found for Schwartzs model, and no support was found for Snyders model. Comparison of the present results with those of several prior studies suggests that the specific combination of variables that best predicts altruistic behavior depends on the particular conditions under which predictions are formed, notably the time interval separating measurement of the persons beliefs and observation of his/her behavior. As social psychology has expanded the breadth and depth of its investigation, so has the number of alternative conceptualizations used to explain the same phenomena expanded. Where once only a small amount of research and perhaps a single theory were available, now large quantities of research and multiple theories exist. While many of these different theories are elaborations or restatements of previous concepts, many are also sufficiently different to invite comparison and integration. Resolutions of this sort are one of the important tasks in advancing our knowledge and in suggesting new directions in which to proceed. This study was designed with such a purpose for one particular area: evaluating the relative utility of three models in the prediction of one form of helping behavior, namely, donating blood. Specifically, we focused on the theoretical

Beliefs about cues associated with deception

Peoples beliefs about the association of 19 visual and auditory cues with deception were assessed in one of two questionnaires: Subjects were asked to indicate the association of each cue with deception in their own behavior (self-perception condition) or in other peoples behavior (other-perception condition). The 19 behaviors listed in the questionnaires had been previously examined in research on actual behaviors associated with deception; ten of these behaviors had also been examined in research on cues associated with judgment of deception. Stronger association between the various cues and deception were obtained in the other-perception than in the self-perception condition, indicating that people believe they control their own deceptive behavior better than other people control theirs. Beliefs about the association of each behavior with deception (averaged across the two conditions and sex of respondents) correlated .11 with the actual association of each cue with deception, and .44 with the association of each cue with judgment of deception. The possibility that the correspondence between beliefs about deception and actual cues to deception is higher for some specific types of lie-telling was discussed.

Consequences of self-handicapping : Effects on coping, academic performance, and adjustment

Self-handicappers erect impediments to performance to protect their self-esteem. The impediments may interfere with the ability to do well and, as such, may result in poor adjustment. Using a longitudinal design, the present studies examined prospective effects of self-handicapping on coping, academic performance, and several adjustment-related variables (e.g., self-esteem). It was found that, compared to low self-handicappers, high self-handicappers reported higher usage of coping strategies implying withdrawal and negative focus. High self-handicappers performed less well academically, an effect that was mediated in part by poor study habits. Finally, high self-handicapping resulted in poorer adjustment over time, and poorer adjustment resulted in higher self-handicapping over time. These relations are consistent with the idea of a vicious cycle in which self-handicapping and poor adjustment reinforce one another.

Facial and vocal cues of deception and honesty

Abstract Facial expressions and vocal cues (filtered speech) of honest and deceptive messages were examined in posed and spontaneous situations. The question of interest was the degree to which nonverbal cues transmit information about deception. Results indicated that (a) for both the facial and vocal channels, posing (as compared to spontaneous behavior) produced a higher level of communication accuracy; (b) facial expressions of deceptive (as compared to honest) messages were rated as less pleasant, while vocal expressions of deception were rated as less honest, less assertive, and less dominant, particularly in the posed condition; (c) the senders ability to convey honesty was negatively correlated with his/her ability to convey deception, suggesting the existence of a demeanor bias—individual senders tend to appear and sound consistently honest (or dishonest) regardless of whether they deliver an honest or a deceptive message; (d) in the posing condition, the senders abilities to convey honesty/deception via facial and vocal cues were positively and significantly correlated, whereas in the spontaneous condition they were not; and (e) senders whose full (unfiltered) speech indicated more involvement with their responses were judged as more honest from both their vocal (filtered speech) and facial cues, in both the honest and deceptive conditions.

Self-Regulation and Consistency between Attitudes, Traits, and Behaviors

This research examined the impact of self-regulatory styles on the degree of consistency between behaviors and self-reported attitudes and traits. It was predicted that individuals who regulate their behavior in an autonomous manner would be more like{y to display behavior consistent with their self-reported attitudes and traits than individuals who regulate their behavior in accordance with external or introjected controls. In two intrinsic motivation laboratory experiments, subjects who were classified as autonomy oriented on the basis of their responses to the General Causality Orientations Scale were shown to display significantly higher attitude-behavior correlations than subjects classified as control oriented. In another experiment, autonomy-oriented subjects showed greater consistency between self-descriptions of conscientiousness and a behavioral criterion than control-oriented subjects. Together, these findings support Deci and Ryans hypothesis that individual differences in self-regulation will influence indexes of personality integration.

Facial, autonomic, and subjective components of emotion: The facial feedback hypothesis versus the externalizer-internalizer distinction.

Two different models have been advanced concerning the role of facial expression in the experience of emotion. The facial feedback hypothesis states that facial expressions regulate affective experience. This position has been supported by findings that experimentally induced changes in facial expressiveness produced corresponding changes in autonomic responses and self-reports of emotion. A second model posits that expressive behavior and autonomic responses are negatively related. Evidence supporting this view consists of correlational analyses showing that facially expressive people (externalizers) exhibit less autonomic arousal than do those who are not facially expressive (internalizers). In the present study, the facial feedback hypothesis and the externalizer-internalizer distinction were evaluated by manipulating facial expressiveness and measuring subsequent autonomic responses and self-reports of emotion. Results showed that higher levels of facial expressiveness were accompanied by higher levels of autonomic activity and subjective reports of affective experience. This relationship was obtained in comparisons among experimental conditions as well as correlational analyses within conditions.

Measuring Person Perception Accuracy: Another Look at Self-Other Agreement

The analysis of self-other data for the study of person perception accuracy is illustrated and discussed. Length of acquaintance, length of cohabitation, and trait empathy were investigated for their moderating effects on person perception accuracy, defined as the level of self-other agreement. Self-other agreement was computed four ways. A trait-by-trait analysis was performed twice, first using the moderator variable to form subgroups from which self-other correlations within each trait were computed and then using the moderator as a continuous variable in a series of moderated multiple regressions. Next, a profile analysis was performed that isolated two accuracy components, implicit profile accuracy and ideographic accuracy, which were conceptually similar to Cronbachs stereotype accuracy and differential accuracy components. The analyses, taken together, provided a componential and informative (if not comprehensive) analysis regarding accuracy as it is manifest in self-peer agreement data. Sex and cohabitation length moderated accuracy whereas acquaintance length and trait empathy did not.

The COPE revised: Proposing a 5-factor model of coping strategies

Abstract The COPE ( Carver, Scheier, & Weintraub, 1989 ), an inventory of coping strategies, was revised by modifying one of its subscales and adding seven new ones. Factor analysis of the new questionnaire revealed five dimensions: self-help, approach, accommodation, avoidance, and self-punishment. To measure these dimensions, we constructed a 5-subscale, 40-item revised COPE (R-COPE). In subsequent studies, the 5 R-COPE subscales were predicted prospectively from one situational variable (perceived control) and one dispositional construct (autonomy versus control orientation). In additional studies, the 5 subscales served as prospective predictors of several adjustment and well being indices. These studies along with correlations between the five subscales and other variables demonstrated both convergent and discriminant validity of the R-COPE. Theoretical implications of the 5-factor solution and the case for using the R-COPE in future coping research are discussed.