Season 2 Episode 14: React to Contact

Fidgeting

Foster tells Vic to fold his hands to avoid fidgeting. Good advice because people respond to fidgeting as a sign of lying. It isn’t; it is just a sign of nervousness or discomfort, often shown by innocent people who are under suspicion.

Presidential Example

Foster preps the son how to respond if the prosecutor accuses him of framing his stepmother, showing him how President Obama calmly responded when a Congressman shouted “You lie” during the State of the Union address. The President paused, and then replied firmly without raising his voice. I often get asked to comment on politicians, but I never do so until they are out of office. I don’t want any taxpayer to complain that I am using expertise developed with public funding to advance a partisan cause. But I can’t stop ‘Lie To Me’ from doing so, and they did get it correctly.

Reading Jurors

Lightman asks Torres and Loker to watch the jurors to see how they are reacting. There are experts who have read my work, (but not been trained by me) who do just such work. I won’t. I think it unfairly advantages the side that has the money to pay the expert, which usually is the defense not the prosecution.

Sign Of Disgust

The prosecuting attorney tells Lightman he needs to know by the end of the day if Lightman will testify. When he says otherwise he will have to go to the Radar firm — Lightman’s former protégé turned competitor — Cal shows a beautiful expression of disgust.

Sadness Over Guilt

Lightman says Clara shows more sadness than guilt.It is still unclear whether there is a distinctive facial expression for guilt, which is different from what is seen in sadness. Lightman would probably be basing his judgment on the lack of any attempt to hide the face, with a hand, or by turning away, which some scientists, but not all, believe occurs most often with either guilt or shame, but not sadness. When sadness is severe, when the person is resigned to helpless, hopeless feelings, the head is not held up but instead the head slumps, the chin is down, and gaze is downward or the eyes are closed. When the other phase of sadness – anguish – is felt, then the gaze may be directed outwards seeking help.