Finnish speaking authorities´ and lay persons´ beliefs about cues to deception
Keywords:
epäuskottavuus, kyselytutkimus, uskomukset, valehtelu, valheentunnistusAbstract
The international stereotype of a liar is that they avert their gaze, are nervous, and make more body
movements. People tend to believe that they can detect when someone is lying especially based on
nonverbal cues, even though verbal cues have been found to be more objective. Authorities also hold
stereotypical beliefs about cues to deception. However, studies have found cultural variations in people’s
beliefs. This study investigated Finnish authorities’ and lay persons’ beliefs about verbal and nonverbal
cues to deception. An online questionnaire was sent to Finnish speaking police officers, ERC operators,
and lay persons (N = 154). Participants evaluated their own behavior and the behavior of others during
lying, and the results were compared with international research results.
Finns believed that gaze aversion and nervousness were relevant cues to deception. They also
believed that contradictions, corrections, and verbal avoidance were relevant cues. Both authorities
and lay persons believed that gaze aversion is a relevant cue to deception, and knowledge of deception
detection did not affect beliefs. Finnish authorities and lay persons had similar and false beliefs about cues to deception, and these beliefs are largely in line with international stereotypes.
