The gap between reality and research: Another look at detecting deception in field settings

• Published in: Policing : an international journal of police strategies & management 2012-01, Vol.35 (4), p.723-740
• Main Authors: Pete Blair, J., Levine, Timothy R., Reimer, Torsten O., McCluskey, John D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Coherence; Deception; Design engineering; Ecology; Literature reviews; Manuals; Methodology; Training
• ISSN: 1363-951X
• DOI: 10.1108/13639511211275553

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present a review of the deception detection literature that arrives at a different conclusion from the one presented by King and Dunn. Specifically, the authors' review shows that people can detect deception at significantly above chance accuracy in policing environments. A new paradigm for deception detection is also discussed. Design/methodology/approach - An extensive literature review was conducted. Findings - People can detect deception at levels that exceed chance in a variety of police-related environments when an ecological approach to detecting deception is adopted. Practical implications - The authors' review suggests that it is time for deception detection training and manuals to move away from the demeanor-based systems that are currently dominant and toward coherence and correspondence-based systems. Originality/value - The paper presents a perspective that is different from the one advanced by King and Dunn. It also introduces the ecological detection of deception paradigm to the policing literature.