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Suspicious minds: Criminals' ability to detect deception

Hartwig, M ; Granhag, PA ; Stromwall, LA and Andersson, Lars O LU (2004) In Psychology, Crime and Law 10(1). p.83-95
Abstract
This study is a quasi-experiment focusing on the deception detection ability of prison inmates (n = 52) and college students (n = 52). Participants made veracity judgments of videotaped statements of witnesses either lying or telling the truth about an event. In line with findings on criminals' beliefs about cues to deception, it was predicted that prison inmates would outperform students in terms of lie detection accuracy. Our hypothesis received partial support since the prison inmates outperformed the students in terms of detecting lies, but not in terms of detecting truths. Moreover, the prison inmates achieved an accuracy level higher than chance, while students did not. Furthermore, prison inmates had a pronounced lie bias. It is... (More)
This study is a quasi-experiment focusing on the deception detection ability of prison inmates (n = 52) and college students (n = 52). Participants made veracity judgments of videotaped statements of witnesses either lying or telling the truth about an event. In line with findings on criminals' beliefs about cues to deception, it was predicted that prison inmates would outperform students in terms of lie detection accuracy. Our hypothesis received partial support since the prison inmates outperformed the students in terms of detecting lies, but not in terms of detecting truths. Moreover, the prison inmates achieved an accuracy level higher than chance, while students did not. Furthermore, prison inmates had a pronounced lie bias. It is possible that the outcome feedback provided in the environment of criminals may explain the differences in accuracy levels between prison inmates and students. It is suggested that relevant outcome feedback may be a beneficial component in training of professional lie-catchers in order to improve their performance. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
deception detection, truth/lie bias, feedback hypothesis
in
Psychology, Crime and Law
volume
10
issue
1
pages
83 - 95
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • wos:000188830700006
  • scopus:0842285895
ISSN
1477-2744
DOI
10.1080/1068316031000095485
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
af65e38e-0c4f-44ed-a114-690e2e7076b8 (old id 899372)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 12:13:30
date last changed
2022-04-21 04:26:04
@article{af65e38e-0c4f-44ed-a114-690e2e7076b8,
  abstract     = {{This study is a quasi-experiment focusing on the deception detection ability of prison inmates (n = 52) and college students (n = 52). Participants made veracity judgments of videotaped statements of witnesses either lying or telling the truth about an event. In line with findings on criminals' beliefs about cues to deception, it was predicted that prison inmates would outperform students in terms of lie detection accuracy. Our hypothesis received partial support since the prison inmates outperformed the students in terms of detecting lies, but not in terms of detecting truths. Moreover, the prison inmates achieved an accuracy level higher than chance, while students did not. Furthermore, prison inmates had a pronounced lie bias. It is possible that the outcome feedback provided in the environment of criminals may explain the differences in accuracy levels between prison inmates and students. It is suggested that relevant outcome feedback may be a beneficial component in training of professional lie-catchers in order to improve their performance.}},
  author       = {{Hartwig, M and Granhag, PA and Stromwall, LA and Andersson, Lars O}},
  issn         = {{1477-2744}},
  keywords     = {{deception detection; truth/lie bias; feedback hypothesis}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{83--95}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Psychology, Crime and Law}},
  title        = {{Suspicious minds: Criminals' ability to detect deception}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1068316031000095485}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/1068316031000095485}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2004}},
}