Lie To Me

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Have you wondered why, after taking just one look at someone, we sometimes instantly know we don't like him or her? While some explain it with intuition or instinct, there’s something more scientific going on. The truth is written on all of our faces. It’s embedded in the micro-expressions or brief involuntary movements our emotions give off. The popular TV drama Lie to Me, based on the research of Dr. Paul Ekman, combines science and entertainment while demonstrating the human ability to read clues embedded in the human face, body, and voice to expose the truth and lies in criminal investigations.

Tim Roth plays Dr. Cal Lightman as the world’s leading deception expert. After analyzing your face, posture, and voice, the lie you’ve tried so hard to conceal will be ripped to shreds by Lightman before your even finished telling it. The key to Lightman’s success is identifying the seven universal micro-expressions, a tiny facial expression that lasts less than a quarter of a second, that all humans make which are anger, contempt, disgust, fear, sadness, happiness, and surprise.

During the episode “Bullet Bump”, the Lightman group attempts to uncover the truth behind a political cover up. When a campaign staff member admits to hitting and killing a homeless man while driving drunk, it is the complete absence of emotion that immediately convinces Lightman the woman is telling a lie. After a traumatic event, recalling the details of an event will almost always evoke emotions of remorse or sadness. As the memory flashes through your mind, especially when recent or upsetting, it will bring out micro-expressions that often validate what you’re saying. The matter of fact tone and body language suggested the girl was recalling s...

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Often when people are lying about an emotion, an involuntary micro-expression can flash across our faces before we can control them. Less than one percent of society was born with the natural ability to detect micro-expressions. The Wizards Project has identified just over 50 people with this ability after testing nearly 20,000 people. The science behind lies became increasingly popular to study during the twentieth century. Based largely on psychologist Dr. Ekman’s research, Lie to Me proves to be one of the most scientific dramas of its time, captivating and intriguing its audience. Although micro-expressions can never undoubtedly prove guilt, an analysis of the combination of voice and body language can allow someone to make an extremely well educated guess at whether or not someone is lying.

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