“There is no single body language cue that can expose a lie.”
We all believe we have a good sense of people. We pay attention to eye contact, body language, and subtle signs of nervousness, and we’re convinced we can spot a lie. But what if these very beliefs are leading us astray? Prof. Dr. Michael Saller conducts scientific research in mentiology, the study of lying. As an expert in interrogation and questioning techniques—including at the Federal Cartel Office—he knows how to spot lies.
“We naturally assume that others are telling the truth.”
He explains why eye contact is not a reliable indicator of truth, why supposedly obvious clues can be misleading, and what the Othello error is all about. In conversation with Georgiy Michailov, we also discuss truth bias and the null hypothesis, the limitations of lie detectors, psychopaths in executive suites, and the question of why small talk is strategically valuable.
*Video only in German
SMP LeaderTalks
