Skip to main content
Log in

Effects of segmentation patterns on the perception of deception

  • Published:
Journal of Nonverbal Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Subjects viewed videotapes of truthful and deceptive messages. Channels presented were either face or body with or without speech. Subjects were instructed to segment each message into either large, medium, or small units; following the segmentation of a message, subjects rated its truthfulness. Results showed that subjects who organized the behavior into small units perceived the messages as more truthful than those who organized the behavior into either medium or large units. In addition, when speech was available, accuracy of lie detection was highest when the behavior was segmented into medium units; when speech was not available, accuracy of lie detection was highest when the behavior was segmented into small units. The effects of observation set on the perception of deception were discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Atkinson, M.L., & Allen, V.L. Level of analysis as a determinant of the meaning of nonverbal behavior.Social Psychology Quarterly 1979,42 270–274.

    Google Scholar 

  • Atkinson, M.L., & Allen, V.L. Perceived structure of nonverbal behavior.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1983,45 458–463.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buck, R., Baron, R., & Barrette, D. Temporal organization of spontaneous emotional expression: A segmentation analysis.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1982,42 506–517.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buck, R., Baron, R., Goodman, N., & Shapiro, B. Unitization of spontaneous nonverbal behavior in the study of emotion communication.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1980,39 522–529.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, C.E., & Ebbesen, E.B. Observational goals and schema activation: A theoretical framework for behavior perception.Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 1979,15 305–329.

    Google Scholar 

  • DePaulo, B.M., & Rosenthal, R. Telling lies.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1979,37 1713–1722.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newtson, D. Attribution and the unit of perception of ongoing behavior.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1973,28 28–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newtson, D. Foundations of attribution: The perception of ongoing behavior. In J.H. Harvey, W.J. Ickes, & R.F. Kidd (Eds.),New directions in attribution research (Vol. 1). New York: Wiley, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newtson, D., Engquist, G., & Bois, J. The objective basis of behavior units.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1977,35 847–862.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenthal, R., & Rosnow, R.L.Essentials of behavioral research: Methods and data analysis. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1984.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenthal, R., & Rubin, D.B. A single, general purpose display of magnitude of experimental effect.Journal of Educational Psychology 1982,74 166–169.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zuckerman, M., Kernis, M.R., Driver, R., & Koestner, R. Segmentation of behavior: Effects of actual deception and expected deception.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 1984,46 1173–1182.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zuckerman, M., Driver, R. & Guadagno, N.S. Effects of segmentation patterns on the perception of deception. J Nonverbal Behav 9, 160–168 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01000737

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01000737

Keywords

Navigation