EXACT COLLEGES OF ASIA

B.S. Criminology
CDI 3: Special Crime Investigation 2
Week 8: PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS/SIGNS OF GUILT

INTRODUCTION:
Clearly, behavioral differences between honest and lying individuals are
difficult to discriminate and measure. Researchers have attempted to uncover
different ways of detecting lies. While there may not be a simple, tell-tale sign that
someone is dishonest (like Pinocchio’s nose), researchers have found a few helpful
indicators.

Psychologists have utilized research on body language and deception to help

members of law enforcement distinguish between the truth and lies.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this Module, you should be able to:

 Physiological responses as symptoms of guilt or lying.

 Behavioral Indicators of Lying
 Verbal and Non-Verbal Signs of Lying

LESSON PROPER:

What are the Physiological Symptoms of Guilt?

a. Sweating –unusual sweating; sweating hands indicate tension.

Sweating of the upper lips.

b. Color Change – A flushed face indicates anger, shame or

embarrassment but not necessarily guilt. A pale face is a more reliable
sign of guilt.
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 EXACT COLLEGES OF ASIA
B.S. Criminology
CDI 3: Special Crime Investigation 2
Week 8: PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS/SIGNS OF GUILT

c. Dry Mouth – Great nervous tension is present. This is considered

as a reliable symptom of deception. Unusual swallowing and thirst
are indications of dryness of the mouth.

d. Pulse – An increase in the rate of heart beat is indicative of deception.

The pulse beat is observable at times in the neck.

e. Breathing – Deception is indicated by an effort to control breathing

during critical questions.

Behavioral Indicators of Lying

1. Will not answer Yes or No Question

The subject will start to talk in a very long circle and on a
simple yes-or-no question so you ask a yes or no and you
look at them in the eyes they will look away.

2. An Unusual Smile

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 EXACT COLLEGES OF ASIA
B.S. Criminology
CDI 3: Special Crime Investigation 2
Week 8: PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS/SIGNS OF GUILT

When the subject is being less than honest, they have a weird creepy smile on their
face that’s entirely fake and at the wrong time.

3. Excessive Fidgeting
When the subject gets uncomfortable, they often start to
cross their arms and hunched their shoulders a little bit. At
times bite their fingernails. They may be unconsciously trying
to calm that anxiety response or at least get the blood flowing
back to their extremities, all of which could point to
nervousness about telling a lie.

4. Controlled Body movements

Body movements and facial expressions appear more controlled and
stiffer than usual. Someone who often struggles to maintain eye
contact during conversations suddenly leave their eyes fixated on
you. They are taking extra-caution to not appear suspicious.

5. Covering Face
They unconsciously covering their mouths or face, they could be
smiling under it or they could be looking upset or they’re
covering some part of their face because they’re aware they
have micro expressions.

6. Pause between Question and Answer

The latency between when you ask a question and
their response. Unusual pause before answering to
collect their thoughts.

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 EXACT COLLEGES OF ASIA
B.S. Criminology
CDI 3: Special Crime Investigation 2
Week 8: PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS/SIGNS OF GUILT

7. Speaking in 2nd and 3rd person

They don’t say “I” when telling their answers.

8. Incongruence between gestures and

statement
There’s incongruence when they nod their
head and answer the question. If a person
says yes but shakes their head no.

9. Voice Cracks
When there’s something making them, uncomfortable
there is a physiological response in their voices. An
unusual l rise or fall in vocal tone.

10. Saying “I wouldn’t do that”

Being overly defensive when answering the question.

Verbal Signs of Lying

1. Lack of self-reference
Deceptive people often use language that minimizes references to themselves. One
way to reduce self-references is to describe events in the passive voice.

Example:
"The safe was left unlocked" rather than "I left the safe unlocked."
"The shipment was authorized" rather than "I authorized the shipment."
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 EXACT COLLEGES OF ASIA
B.S. Criminology
CDI 3: Special Crime Investigation 2
Week 8: PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS/SIGNS OF GUILT

2. Answering questions with questions

Even liars prefer not to lie. Outright lies carry the risk of detection. Before answering a
question with a lie, a deceptive person will usually try to avoid answering the question at
all. One common method of dodging questions is to respond with a question of one's own.
Investigators should be alert to responses such as:

Example:

"Why would I steal from my own brother?"

"Do I seem like the kind of person who would do something like that?"
"Don't you think somebody would have to be pretty stupid to remove cash from their
own register drawer?"

3. Lack of detail
Those who fabricate a story, however, tend to keep their statements simple and brief. Few
liars have sufficient imagination to make up detailed descriptions of fictitious events. Plus,
a deceptive person wants to minimize the risk that an investigator will discover evidence
contradicting any aspect of his or her statement; the fewer facts that might be proved
false, the better.

Example:

"Did you break into that house?"

No, I did not try to break into that house!

4. Oaths
Deceptive subjects often use mild oaths to try to make their statements sound more
convincing. Deceptive people are more likely than truthful people to sprinkle their
statements with expressions such as:

Example:
"I swear," "on my honor," "as God is my witness," "cross my heart."

5. Use of Euphemisms
Euphemisms portray the subject's behavior in a more favorable light and minimize any
harm the subject's actions might have caused. Investigators should look for euphemistic
terms such as:
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 EXACT COLLEGES OF ASIA
B.S. Criminology
CDI 3: Special Crime Investigation 2
Week 8: PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS/SIGNS OF GUILT

Example:
"missing" instead of "stolen,"
"borrowed" instead of "took," "bumped" instead of "hit," and "warned" instead of
"Threatened."

6. Vocal Tone
Vocal tone is a powerful indicator of emotion – research has shown that a person’s vocal
tone will waver from the baseline in up to 95 percent of all deceptive statements. It’s one of
the most reliable indicators of deception, and whether it goes up or down depends on the
emotions involved.
Vocal tone rises when we are angry or excited. You might see this when your subject is
trying to convince you of something. Be careful, though – a truthful person will also get
angry when wrongfully accused. The difference? The liar’s anger subsides more quickly.

Vocal tone lowers with sadness and shame. When your subject’s voice gets lower, pay
close attention.

7.Stuttering
Stuttering and using filler words go hand in hand because both are virtually involuntary
reactions to trying to speak something that's not the truth. Stuttering, however, is more like
breaks and repetitions in words, not breaks in sentences.

So you may hear someone say, " I never st-st-stopped at the-the mall,"
for example.

One of the biggest underlying causes of stuttering is anxiety, and lying can definitely make
a person telling the untruth feel anxious.

Non- Verbal Signs of Lying

1. They touch their face, mouth or throat.

This subconscious body language may indicate that someone is lying to you. If
you notice someone touching their face who normally doesn't, it is a little red flag to
keep in the back of your mind.

2. They don't blink.

Some avid liars have learned to telegraph confidence, so instead of breaking eye
contact, they will stare at you and not blink. If it seems like their eye contact is too
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 EXACT COLLEGES OF ASIA
B.S. Criminology
CDI 3: Special Crime Investigation 2
Week 8: PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS/SIGNS OF GUILT

intense, it may be a sign they are trying to cover up their nervousness

3. They stand very still.

Relaxed, unconscious movements come naturally in normal conversation, so rigid stance
should be a major red flag.

4. They tend to point a lot.

Liars become defensive when they think you discovered their lie, which may result in a lot
of pointing.

5. Their breathing changes.

When someone is nervous and lying to you, they may begin to breathe more heavily. Their
shoulders rise and their voice gets shallow.

6. Excessive sweating
People who are lying will often perspire more than usual.

7. Pursed lips.
People may purse their lips to counteract the dry mouth that comes with lying.

8. Looking down to the right.

Right-handed people often look down to their right when they’re lying about smells or
sensations.

9. It becomes difficult for them to speak.

Our mouths get dry when we’re stressed and lying. Other signs to watch for include
sudden lip biting or pursed lips.

10.They change their head position quickly.

If you see someone suddenly jerk their head when you ask them a direct question, they
maybe lying to you about something.

11.False Smile
A false smile doesn’t affect the eyes, and it’s just done with the mouth.

12. Blushing
Some people, usually women, will blush after lying.

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 EXACT COLLEGES OF ASIA
B.S. Criminology
CDI 3: Special Crime Investigation 2
Week 8: PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS/SIGNS OF GUILT

NOTE:

While all of these body language and non-verbal cues are excellent in aiding the
investigators in discovering deceptive people there aren’t any one-hundred percent
conclusive signs of guilt. Even the machine-operated lie-detector tests are not always
reliable some people are naturally skilled in lying and will give no physical or verbal cues
of deception.

RECITATION:
Match the Behavioral Indicators of Lying to its definition.

1. Controlled Body movements

Body movements and facial expressions appear more controlled and stiffer than usual.
Someone who often struggles to maintain eye contact during conversations suddenly
leave their eyes fixated on you. They are taking extra-caution to not appear suspicious.

2. Excessive Fidgeting

When the subject gets uncomfortable, they often start to cross their arms and hunched
their shoulders a little bit. At times bite their fingernails. They may be unconsciously trying
to calm that anxiety response or at least get the blood flowing back to their extremities, all
of which could point to nervousness about telling a lie.

3. Pause between Question and Answer

The latency between when you ask a question and their response. Unusual pause before
answering to collect their thoughts.

4. Speaking in 2nd and 3rd person

They don’t say “I” when telling their answers.

5. Incongruence between gestures and statement

There’s incongruence when they nod their head and answer the question. If a person says
yes but shakes their head no.

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 EXACT COLLEGES OF ASIA
B.S. Criminology
CDI 3: Special Crime Investigation 2
Week 8: PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS/SIGNS OF GUILT

ASSIGNMENT:

Give at least five (5) Verbal Signs of Lying and explain.

EVALUATION:
Choose the letter of the correct answer being describe or ask on each question.

Juan appeared to be swallowing his saliva out of the blue when the investigator asked him
a question and felt a tightening in his throat. What Physiological Symptoms is being shown
here?
A. Sweating
B. Color Change
C. Dry Mouth
D. Breathing
ANSWER: C

Throughout the interview, Carlos keeps wiping the sweat off his forehead. What
Physiological Symptoms is being shown here?
A. Sweating
B. Color Change
C. Dry Mouth
D. Breathing
ANSWER: A

Questioning Pedro caused him to flush red. What Physiological Symptoms is being shown
here?
A. Sweating
B. Color Change
C. Dry Mouth
D. Breathing
ANSWER: B

Maria is obviously making an effort to control her breathing while being questioned. What
Physiological Symptoms is being shown here?
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 EXACT COLLEGES OF ASIA
B.S. Criminology
CDI 3: Special Crime Investigation 2
Week 8: PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS/SIGNS OF GUILT

A. Sweating
B. Color Change
C. Dry Mouth
D. Breathing
ANSWER: D

Liars become defensive when they think you discovered their lie, which may result in a lot
of pointing.
A. They stand very still.
B. They tend to point a lot.
C. Their breathing changes
D. They don't blink
ANSWER: B

Relaxed, unconscious movements come naturally in normal conversation, so rigid stance

should be a major red flag.
A. They stand very still.
B. They tend to point a lot.
C. Their breathing changes
D. They don't blink
ANSWER: A

Javier during the interrogation was asked if he is the one who stole the necklace of jose,
but his answer was "The necklace was just missing". What verbal signs of lying is being
shown here?
A. Stuttering
B. Oaths
C. Use of Euphemisms
D. Lack of detail
ANSWER: C

Using filler words go hand in hand because both are virtually involuntary reactions to trying
to speak something that's not the truth.

A. Stuttering
B. Oaths
C. Use of Euphemisms
D. Lack of detail
ANSWER: A
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 EXACT COLLEGES OF ASIA
B.S. Criminology
CDI 3: Special Crime Investigation 2
Week 8: PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS/SIGNS OF GUILT

David was asked if he raped maria but he answered " God is my witness I did not touched
maria!"What verbal signs of lying is being shown here?

A. Stuttering
B. Oaths
C. Use of Euphemisms
D. Lack of detail
ANSWER: B

Even liars prefer not to lie. Outright lies carry the risk of detection. Before answering a
question with a lie, a deceptive person will usually try to avoid answering the question at
all.

A. Answering questions with questions

B. Lack of self-reference
C. Lack of detail
D. Use of Euphemisms
ANSWER: A

REFERENCE/S:

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 EXACT COLLEGES OF ASIA
B.S. Criminology
CDI 3: Special Crime Investigation 2
Week 8: PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS/SIGNS OF GUILT

 Kevin Bonsor. How lie detectors work. Retrieved on March 21, 2018. Retrieved
from https://people.howstuffworks.com/lie-detector1.htm
 Bryan Robinson. Polygraphs accurate but not foolproof. Retrieved on march 21,
2018.Retrieved from http://abcnews.go.com/us/story?id=92847&page=1
 Notes On Criminalistics Polygraphy. Quest Review Center. 1550 Espana Blvd.
Cor. Lacson Ave.,Sampaloc, Manila

Congratulations! On reaching the end of this module!

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!

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