The Analysis of Nonverbal Communication: The Dangers of Pseudoscience in Security and Justice Contexts

Vincent Denault; Pierrich Plusquellec; Louise M. Jupe; Michel St-Yves; Norah E. Dunbar; Maria Hartwig; Siegfried L. Sporer; Jessica Rioux-Turcotte; Jonathan Jarry; Dave Walsh; Henry Otgaar; Andrei Viziteu; Victoria Talwar; David A. Keatley; Iris Blandon-Gitlin; Clint Townson; Nadine Deslauriers-Varin; Scott O. Lilienfeld; Miles L. Patterson; Igor Areh; Alfred Allan; Hilary Evans Cameron; Remi Boivin; Leanne ten Brinke; Jaume Masip; Ray Bull; Mireille Cyr; Lorraine Hope; Leif A. Stromwall; Stephanie J. Bennett; Faisal Al Menaiya; Richard A. Leo; Annelies Vredeveldt; Marty Laforest; Charles R. Honts; Antonio L. Manzanero; Samantha Mann; Par-Anders Granhag; Karl Ask; Fiona Gabbert; Jean-Pierre Guay; Alexandre Coutant; Jeffrey Hancock; Valerie Manusov; Judee K. Burgoon; Steven M. Kleinman; Gordon Wright; Sara Landstrom; Ian Freckelton; Zarah Vernham; Peter J. van Koppen

doi:10.5093/apj2019a9

The Analysis of Nonverbal Communication: The Dangers of Pseudoscience in Security and Justice Contexts

Vincent Denault^*, Pierrich Plusquellec, Louise M. Jupe, Michel St-Yves, Norah E. Dunbar, Maria Hartwig, Siegfried L. Sporer, Jessica Rioux-Turcotte, Jonathan Jarry, Dave Walsh, Henry Otgaar, Andrei Viziteu, Victoria Talwar, David A. Keatley, Iris Blandon-Gitlin, Clint Townson, Nadine Deslauriers-Varin, Scott O. Lilienfeld, Miles L. Patterson, Igor ArehAlfred Allan, Hilary Evans Cameron, Remi Boivin, Leanne ten Brinke, Jaume Masip, Ray Bull, Mireille Cyr, Lorraine Hope, Leif A. Stromwall, Stephanie J. Bennett, Faisal Al Menaiya, Richard A. Leo, Annelies Vredeveldt, Marty Laforest, Charles R. Honts, Antonio L. Manzanero, Samantha Mann, Par-Anders Granhag, Karl Ask, Fiona Gabbert, Jean-Pierre Guay, Alexandre Coutant, Jeffrey Hancock, Valerie Manusov, Judee K. Burgoon, Steven M. Kleinman, Gordon Wright, Sara Landstrom, Ian Freckelton, Zarah Vernham, Peter J. van Koppen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

For security and justice professionals (e.g., police officers, lawyers, judges), the thousands of peer-reviewed articles on nonverbal communication represent important sources of knowledge. However, despite the scope of the scientific work carried out on this subject, professionals can turn to programs, methods, and approaches that fail to reflect the state of science. The objective of this article is to examine (i) concepts of nonverbal communication conveyed by these programs, methods, and approaches, but also (ii) the consequences of their use (e.g., on the life or liberty of individuals). To achieve this objective, we describe the scope of scientific research on nonverbal communication. A program (SPOT; Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques), a method (the BAI; Behavior Analysis Interview) and an approach (synergology) that each run counter to the state of science are examined. Finally, we outline five hypotheses to explain why some organizations in the fields of security and justice are turning to pseudoscience and pseudoscientific techniques. We conclude the article by inviting these organizations to work with the international community of scholars who have scientific expertise in nonverbal communication and lie (and truth) detection to implement evidence-based practices.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1-12
Number of pages	12
Journal	Anuario de Psicologia Juridica
Volume	30
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5093/apj2019a9
Publication status	Published - 2020

Keywords

Pseudoscience
Nonverbal communication
SPOT
Behavior analysis interview
Synergology
LIE DETECTION
THIN SLICES
LAW-ENFORCEMENT
BEHAVIOR
DECEPTION
SCIENCE
SUSPECTS
CONFESSIONS
PSYCHOLOGY
JUDGMENTS

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10.5093/apj2019a9Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

Denault, V., Plusquellec, P., Jupe, L. M., St-Yves, M., Dunbar, N. E., Hartwig, M., Sporer, S. L., Rioux-Turcotte, J., Jarry, J., Walsh, D., Otgaar, H., Viziteu, A., Talwar, V., Keatley, D. A., Blandon-Gitlin, I., Townson, C., Deslauriers-Varin, N., Lilienfeld, S. O., Patterson, M. L., ... van Koppen, P. J. (2020). The Analysis of Nonverbal Communication: The Dangers of Pseudoscience in Security and Justice Contexts. Anuario de Psicologia Juridica, 30(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.5093/apj2019a9

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title = "The Analysis of Nonverbal Communication: The Dangers of Pseudoscience in Security and Justice Contexts",

abstract = "For security and justice professionals (e.g., police officers, lawyers, judges), the thousands of peer-reviewed articles on nonverbal communication represent important sources of knowledge. However, despite the scope of the scientific work carried out on this subject, professionals can turn to programs, methods, and approaches that fail to reflect the state of science. The objective of this article is to examine (i) concepts of nonverbal communication conveyed by these programs, methods, and approaches, but also (ii) the consequences of their use (e.g., on the life or liberty of individuals). To achieve this objective, we describe the scope of scientific research on nonverbal communication. A program (SPOT; Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques), a method (the BAI; Behavior Analysis Interview) and an approach (synergology) that each run counter to the state of science are examined. Finally, we outline five hypotheses to explain why some organizations in the fields of security and justice are turning to pseudoscience and pseudoscientific techniques. We conclude the article by inviting these organizations to work with the international community of scholars who have scientific expertise in nonverbal communication and lie (and truth) detection to implement evidence-based practices.",

keywords = "Pseudoscience, Nonverbal communication, SPOT, Behavior analysis interview, Synergology, LIE DETECTION, THIN SLICES, LAW-ENFORCEMENT, BEHAVIOR, DECEPTION, SCIENCE, SUSPECTS, CONFESSIONS, PSYCHOLOGY, JUDGMENTS",

author = "Vincent Denault and Pierrich Plusquellec and Jupe, {Louise M.} and Michel St-Yves and Dunbar, {Norah E.} and Maria Hartwig and Sporer, {Siegfried L.} and Jessica Rioux-Turcotte and Jonathan Jarry and Dave Walsh and Henry Otgaar and Andrei Viziteu and Victoria Talwar and Keatley, {David A.} and Iris Blandon-Gitlin and Clint Townson and Nadine Deslauriers-Varin and Lilienfeld, {Scott O.} and Patterson, {Miles L.} and Igor Areh and Alfred Allan and Cameron, {Hilary Evans} and Remi Boivin and {ten Brinke}, Leanne and Jaume Masip and Ray Bull and Mireille Cyr and Lorraine Hope and Stromwall, {Leif A.} and Bennett, {Stephanie J.} and {Al Menaiya}, Faisal and Leo, {Richard A.} and Annelies Vredeveldt and Marty Laforest and Honts, {Charles R.} and Manzanero, {Antonio L.} and Samantha Mann and Par-Anders Granhag and Karl Ask and Fiona Gabbert and Jean-Pierre Guay and Alexandre Coutant and Jeffrey Hancock and Valerie Manusov and Burgoon, {Judee K.} and Kleinman, {Steven M.} and Gordon Wright and Sara Landstrom and Ian Freckelton and Zarah Vernham and {van Koppen}, {Peter J.}",

year = "2020",

doi = "10.5093/apj2019a9",

language = "English",

volume = "30",

pages = "1--12",

journal = "Anuario de Psicologia Juridica",

issn = "1133-0740",

publisher = "Elsevier Doyma",

number = "1",

}

Denault, V, Plusquellec, P, Jupe, LM, St-Yves, M, Dunbar, NE, Hartwig, M, Sporer, SL, Rioux-Turcotte, J, Jarry, J, Walsh, D, Otgaar, H, Viziteu, A, Talwar, V, Keatley, DA, Blandon-Gitlin, I, Townson, C, Deslauriers-Varin, N, Lilienfeld, SO, Patterson, ML, Areh, I, Allan, A, Cameron, HE, Boivin, R, ten Brinke, L, Masip, J, Bull, R, Cyr, M, Hope, L, Stromwall, LA, Bennett, SJ, Al Menaiya, F, Leo, RA, Vredeveldt, A, Laforest, M, Honts, CR, Manzanero, AL, Mann, S, Granhag, P-A, Ask, K, Gabbert, F, Guay, J-P, Coutant, A, Hancock, J, Manusov, V, Burgoon, JK, Kleinman, SM, Wright, G, Landstrom, S, Freckelton, I, Vernham, Z & van Koppen, PJ 2020, 'The Analysis of Nonverbal Communication: The Dangers of Pseudoscience in Security and Justice Contexts', Anuario de Psicologia Juridica, vol. 30, no. 1, pp. 1-12. https://doi.org/10.5093/apj2019a9

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Analysis of Nonverbal Communication

T2 - The Dangers of Pseudoscience in Security and Justice Contexts

AU - Denault, Vincent

AU - Plusquellec, Pierrich

AU - Jupe, Louise M.

AU - St-Yves, Michel

AU - Dunbar, Norah E.

AU - Hartwig, Maria

AU - Sporer, Siegfried L.

AU - Rioux-Turcotte, Jessica

AU - Jarry, Jonathan

AU - Walsh, Dave

AU - Otgaar, Henry

AU - Viziteu, Andrei

AU - Talwar, Victoria

AU - Keatley, David A.

AU - Blandon-Gitlin, Iris

AU - Townson, Clint

AU - Deslauriers-Varin, Nadine

AU - Lilienfeld, Scott O.

AU - Patterson, Miles L.

AU - Areh, Igor

AU - Allan, Alfred

AU - Cameron, Hilary Evans

AU - Boivin, Remi

AU - ten Brinke, Leanne

AU - Masip, Jaume

AU - Bull, Ray

AU - Cyr, Mireille

AU - Hope, Lorraine

AU - Stromwall, Leif A.

AU - Bennett, Stephanie J.

AU - Al Menaiya, Faisal

AU - Leo, Richard A.

AU - Vredeveldt, Annelies

AU - Laforest, Marty

AU - Honts, Charles R.

AU - Manzanero, Antonio L.

AU - Mann, Samantha

AU - Granhag, Par-Anders

AU - Ask, Karl

AU - Gabbert, Fiona

AU - Guay, Jean-Pierre

AU - Coutant, Alexandre

AU - Hancock, Jeffrey

AU - Manusov, Valerie

AU - Burgoon, Judee K.

AU - Kleinman, Steven M.

AU - Wright, Gordon

AU - Landstrom, Sara

AU - Freckelton, Ian

AU - Vernham, Zarah

AU - van Koppen, Peter J.

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - For security and justice professionals (e.g., police officers, lawyers, judges), the thousands of peer-reviewed articles on nonverbal communication represent important sources of knowledge. However, despite the scope of the scientific work carried out on this subject, professionals can turn to programs, methods, and approaches that fail to reflect the state of science. The objective of this article is to examine (i) concepts of nonverbal communication conveyed by these programs, methods, and approaches, but also (ii) the consequences of their use (e.g., on the life or liberty of individuals). To achieve this objective, we describe the scope of scientific research on nonverbal communication. A program (SPOT; Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques), a method (the BAI; Behavior Analysis Interview) and an approach (synergology) that each run counter to the state of science are examined. Finally, we outline five hypotheses to explain why some organizations in the fields of security and justice are turning to pseudoscience and pseudoscientific techniques. We conclude the article by inviting these organizations to work with the international community of scholars who have scientific expertise in nonverbal communication and lie (and truth) detection to implement evidence-based practices.

AB - For security and justice professionals (e.g., police officers, lawyers, judges), the thousands of peer-reviewed articles on nonverbal communication represent important sources of knowledge. However, despite the scope of the scientific work carried out on this subject, professionals can turn to programs, methods, and approaches that fail to reflect the state of science. The objective of this article is to examine (i) concepts of nonverbal communication conveyed by these programs, methods, and approaches, but also (ii) the consequences of their use (e.g., on the life or liberty of individuals). To achieve this objective, we describe the scope of scientific research on nonverbal communication. A program (SPOT; Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques), a method (the BAI; Behavior Analysis Interview) and an approach (synergology) that each run counter to the state of science are examined. Finally, we outline five hypotheses to explain why some organizations in the fields of security and justice are turning to pseudoscience and pseudoscientific techniques. We conclude the article by inviting these organizations to work with the international community of scholars who have scientific expertise in nonverbal communication and lie (and truth) detection to implement evidence-based practices.

KW - Pseudoscience

KW - Nonverbal communication

KW - SPOT

KW - Behavior analysis interview

KW - Synergology

KW - LIE DETECTION

KW - THIN SLICES

KW - LAW-ENFORCEMENT

KW - BEHAVIOR

KW - DECEPTION

KW - SCIENCE

KW - SUSPECTS

KW - CONFESSIONS

KW - PSYCHOLOGY

KW - JUDGMENTS

U2 - 10.5093/apj2019a9

DO - 10.5093/apj2019a9

M3 - Article

SN - 1133-0740

VL - 30

SP - 1

EP - 12

JO - Anuario de Psicologia Juridica

JF - Anuario de Psicologia Juridica

IS - 1

ER -