Assignment: Behavioral Cues
Assignment: Behavioral Cues
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The credibility as well as reliability of person’s testimony in legal proceedings is important. Thus, forensic interrogators must analyze a person’s verbal cues and posturing to detect any deception. For instance, interrogator should ask to follow up questions to detect any mismatch in the original statement and the subsequent statements (Goodman et al., 2006). Secondly, detectors should analyze a person’s behaviors including facial (emotional expressions). The emotional facial expression is the most effective method because studies show that liars are more nervous compared to truth tellers. Thirdly, they should analyze non-facial cues like the movement of arms, leg and arms and the pauses in between speeches (Frank, Menasco & Sullivan, 2008). I would focus on the statements made by the person and the accompanying body expressions. In most cases, it is easy to detect an individual when telling a lie, as this may be expressed by the inconsistencies of the statement. A case where an offender first talks about item A and then later changes to item B when interrogated for a second time indicate some elements of lies.
Part Two: The Validity of Behavioral Cues in Juveniles
Studies indicate that children (8 years and below), unlike adults, are less skilled in maintaining lies in subsequent verbal cues or statements. Children tend to reveal the truth whenever they are subjected with follow up questions. However, as they grow older they are more likely to maintain verbal statements over extended interactions. As a result, investigators may face difficulties in detecting deception in older children compared to younger ones. It is a valid technique for juvenile rather than older people (Goodman et al., 2006).
Children, like adults, tend to reveal non-verbal expressions when lying. For instance, a lying child may have a big smile. Gadea et al. (2015) in their study found that juveniles telling lies or truths with non-emotional facial expressions are harder to detect. The researchers indicate that it is also difficult to catch non-emotional adult liars. Hence, it emotional expression is a valid detection technique. In as far as body posture is concerned (movement of arms, legs and foot) children may exhibit various behavioral cues owing to their feelings of excitement, guilt as well as fear. However, these are less valid indicators because of the in-existence of typical identifiers of deception. Only trained coders can detect the difference between liars and truth by using this method (Frank, Menasco & Sullivan, 2008).
