Chapter 34: Quiz

1. Human lie detection accuracy averages approximately: - A) 85% - B) 70% - C) 54% — barely above the 50% chance baseline - D) 30%

Answer: C. Bond and DePaulo's meta-analysis found 54% average accuracy.

2. Trained police officers detect lies at approximately: - A) 90% accuracy - B) 75% accuracy - C) 55% accuracy — barely better than laypeople - D) 100% accuracy

Answer: C. Training in body language "tells" does not substantially improve detection accuracy.

3. Individual body language cues (crossed arms, gaze aversion) are: - A) Reliable indicators of deception - B) Not reliably linked to deception — the same behaviors occur in nervous truth-tellers, and cultural/individual variation is enormous - C) Always accurate - D) Only unreliable for non-experts

Answer: B. No single behavioral cue reliably distinguishes liars from truth-tellers.

4. Microexpression detection training (Ekman's METT): - A) Has been proven to improve real-world lie detection - B) Improves recognition of posed microexpressions in the lab but hasn't shown transfer to real-world deception detection - C) Is unnecessary because everyone can already detect microexpressions - D) Has been banned by law enforcement

Answer: B. Lab improvement doesn't transfer to real-world detection.

5. The chapter's overall verdict on body language reading is: - A) Completely useless - B) Body language communicates emotion through clusters of cues in context, but the pop model (single cues reveal hidden intentions) is not supported, and lie detection is near chance regardless of training - C) A reliable scientific tool - D) Only useful for poker

Answer: B. Nonverbal communication is real but far less decipherable than the body language industry claims.