Behavior: The Fine Art of Catching Liars

A quick how-to course for those who are frequently deceived

Psychologist Paul Ekman ran the film over and over until he found the clue. Mary, a housewife who had attempted suicide three times and had been confined to a mental institution, appeared chipper and confident onscreen as she asked - her doctor for a weekend pass. Her interview, secretly shot for research purposes, was so convincing that Mary got the pass, but she subsequently admitted that she had been lying and had wanted to get away for another suicide try. By slowing down the film, Ekman found that Mary's face had sagged into despair, a telltale "microexpression" that lasted only one...

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