The Interpretation and Expression of Emotion: Social Inference and Implications for Detecting Deception

• In Event: Interpreting and Evaluating Deception within Personal Relationships

Abstract

The question of how people interpret the emotional expressions of other people, as well as how they make inferences about them has long been of interest to social psychologists and communication scholars. One particular area of interest has been the application of emotional expression and inference to the detection of deception. Nonetheless, this literature is replete with inconsistent and contradictory results. My review makes the case for additional controlled research into the role of micro-momentary facial expression in deceptive processes, with a focus on discovering the truth about lying and other forms of deception.

Author

• Michael Searcy, Univ of Illinois, Springfield