The Official Lie to Me Micro Expressions Training Tools

1. Are micro expressions real?

Yes, they are! Micro expressions are very brief facial expressions of emotion, lasting only a fraction of their usual duration (half a second or less). They are so quick that they're usually missed altogether, but you can train yourself to be able to spot them. Micro expressions can occur as a result of conscious suppression or unconscious repression, revealing a person's true emotions they may not be aware of or are trying to hide.

2. Does Lie to Me use real science?

Yes, the TV show was inspired by Dr. Ekman’s life and research. You can read more about the science of Lie to Me.

3. Are deception experts real?

There is no actual lie detection career. However, you can learn detection skills by training with our Micro Expressions Training Tools. Once you have acquired these skills, they can be used in many different careers. For example:

• Many law and security enforcement professionals benefit from these skills.
• Teachers use the skills to better understand their students.
• Doctors and other medical professionals may need to know that their patients are telling them the truth so that they are able to diagnose them quickly and safely.
• Sales personnel find these skills useful in gaining sensitivity to clients’ needs.
• Managers are able better understand their employees.

4. Is there any truth to the show Lie to Me?

Obviously, the show ‘Lie to Me’ was meant for entertainment. However, it is most important to Dr. Paul Ekman that people understand the difference between fact and fiction. You can explore the truth about Lie to Me, which includes Dr. Ekman’s account of working with the series creators and actors.

5. How are the training tools formatted?

Our training tools are exclusively online and therefore there is nothing to download or to be shipped.

The tools are all web-based applications using a combination of text, photos, videos, and auditory commentary for learning application. While the format of each tool is a little different, each one generally follows a series of learning, practice, and test sections to measure your accuracy and improvement over time.

6. How long do the tools last? Can I use the training tools more than once?

Beginning the day you purchase your training tools package, you may access and begin your training. During that time, you are granted unlimited use of the tools in that package. You can (and we suggest you do) use your tools frequently for additional practice. Subscription lengths vary across packages, please review our Compare Features chart for more information.

30 days before your tools are set to expire, you will receive an email from us asking if you would like to renew your tools at a discounted price.

7. What languages are the training tools available in?

All of our tools feature English, Spanish, and Portuguese caption capabilities. All users will be prompted at the beginning of the trainings to choose a language and will have the option to switch between languages throughout the tool.

We are excited to make these universally applicable tools more accessible one step at a time. Stay tuned for more language options coming soon!

8. Do you provide CEUs or certificates for completing the trainings?

Unfortunately we do not provide CEUs for our trainings. We do, however, offer individual certificates for each training tool.

Our Micro Expressions and Subtle Expressions Training Tools certificates are score-based and granted with scores of 80% or higher. Our Responding Effectively certificates are completion based and granted once you have completed each emotional scenario and response option.

9. Can I share my account with others?

No. As part of our Terms and Conditions, training tools are licensed for individual use ONLY.

10. What’s the difference between the online training tools and FACS?

The online training tools are interactive modules which help you learn to detect micro expressions and respond to emotional expressions. There are a total of seven training tools which are combined into three different packages. The format of each tool is a little different but generally follows a series of learning, practice, and test sections to measure your accuracy and improvement over time.

The Facial Action Coding System (FACS) is a downloadable PDF manual. It is a comprehensive, anatomically based system for describing all visually discernible facial movement which breaks down facial expressions into individual components of muscle movement. It takes at least 100 hours of self-study to learn and it has been used extensively in a wide variety of medical, psychological research, and commercial contexts. You can learn FACS the traditional, self-guided way, or through a workshop.

The online training tools are designed to teach you the everyday skills of reading and responding to micro expressions, whereas the FACS manual is a much more technical guide often used by researchers, animators, and in other various professional settings. Therefore, for anyone interested in learning about micro expressions, we generally recommend starting with the training tools on this page.

11. Accepted payment methods

For our online training tools and FACS, we accept payment in the form of PayPal or credit card.