An Introduction to the Science of Deception and Lie Detection

This accessible book provides a foundational understanding of the science of deception and lie detection. Focusing on core issues for the field, it discusses classic and current psychological research into lying as well as theoretical approaches to understanding human lie detection.

This book explores engaging questions around how people lie, how people make decisions about believing others, and how we can detect deception. Each chapter is clearly structured to support students of all levels by summarising content, presenting key research, and systematically evaluating findings. Chapters explore topics including some of the most promising current lie detection techniques, how and why people lie, how lying develops in children, and whether unconscious thinking can boost lie detection accuracy.

Providing an overview of key issues in deception, this book will be of great interest to students and lecturers in the field of deception and lie detection, as well as anyone generally interested in this fascinating field of research.

Chris N. H. Street is Senior Lecturer in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Keele, UK. His research explores the cognition of how people make lie or truth judgements. He is a recipient of the Association for Psychological Science award recognising him as a Rising Star in psychological research.