Accurately detecting deception is a multifaceted challenge, typically requiring a two key steps process. First, people must be able to identify unusual or unexpected verbal and nonverbal cues, and second, people must interpret those cues to determine if they suggest truthfulness or deception. The following are a few common pitfalls in lie detection, emphasizing the limitations of relying solely on nonverbal cues as indicators of dishonesty.

Micro-expressions are very brief, involuntary facial expressions that occur within a fraction of a second (typically less than half a second). Micro-expressions are believed to reveal underlying emotions that a person may be trying to conceal. The subtle flashes of emotion are thought to leak out despite attempts to control facial expressions. For example, a fleeting expression of

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