Impossible to Determine Truth from Witnesses
Having witnesses give live testimony during the impeachment trial will not help United States senators determine if they are hearing the truth, says Bella M. DePaulo, a University of Virginia psychology professor well-known for her research in detecting deception and author of numerous articles on lying.
"The senators are wrong in thinking that they are highly likely to be accurate in knowing who is telling the truth and who is lying simply by bringing people in as witnesses," DePaulo said.
"Trying to detect deception of ordinary fellow humans who have no special practice or experience in trying to get away with their lies can be a difficult task."
And when it comes to bringing in a high-profile politician, such as President Bill Clinton, as a witness, "All bets are off. The ordinarily difficult task of discerning from demeanor and style when someone is lying may become nearly impossible when watching a pro."
In more than 100 studies of people with no special training in detecting deception, accuracy in determining lying averages only 54 percent, says DePaulo. Research shows that people do slightly better than chance at figuring out when others are lying and when they are telling the truth.
For more information, DePaulo can be reached at (804) 924-0675 or via [email protected].
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