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

Abstract

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.

Citation

Pete Blair, J., Levine, T.R., Reimer, T.O. and McCluskey, J.D. (2012), "The gap between reality and research: Another look at detecting deception in field settings", Policing: An International Journal, Vol. 35 No. 4, pp. 723-740. https://doi.org/10.1108/13639511211275553