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Deception Detection Expertise

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Law and Human Behavior

Abstract

A lively debate between Bond and Uysal (2007, Law and Human Behavior, 31, 109–115) and O’Sullivan (2007, Law and Human Behavior, 31, 117–123) concerns whether there are experts in deception detection. Two experiments sought to (a) identify expert(s) in detection and assess them twice with four tests, and (b) study their detection behavior using eye tracking. Paroled felons produced videotaped statements that were presented to students and law enforcement personnel. Two experts were identified, both female Native American BIA correctional officers. Experts were over 80% accurate in the first assessment, and scored at 90% accuracy in the second assessment. In Signal Detection analyses, experts showed high discrimination, and did not evidence biased responding. They exploited nonverbal cues to make fast, accurate decisions. These highly-accurate individuals can be characterized as experts in deception detection.

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Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank Drs. Adrienne Lee, Anne Hubbell, Douglas Gillan, Dominic Simon, Timothy Ketelaar, and Daniel Malloy for assistance. Special thanks to Dr. Charles Bond, Jr., who provided statistical assistance and comments; and to Dr. Maureen O’Sullivan for comments. Thanks to graduate students Carlo González and Johnny Ramirez, and undergraduates Caroline Encarnacion, Timothy Dixon, and Ryan Brewer (New Mexico State University); Jennifer Johnson, Lassiter Speller, Amaris Lyles, Deidre Herring, Kristin Peoples, and Deandra Keys (Winston-Salem State University). Thanks to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia for their assistance.

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Correspondence to Gary D. Bond.

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Bond, G.D. Deception Detection Expertise. Law Hum Behav 32, 339–351 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10979-007-9110-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10979-007-9110-z

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