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“Um, I can tell you're lying”: Linguistic markers of deception versus truth-telling in speech

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 June 2010

JOANNE ARCIULI ,
DAVID MALLARD  and
GINA VILLAR
JOANNE ARCIULI*
Affiliation:
University of Sydney
DAVID MALLARD
Affiliation:
Charles Sturt University
GINA VILLAR
Affiliation:
Charles Sturt University
*
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE Joanne Arciuli, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, P.O. Box 170, Lidcombe NSW 1825, Australia. E-mail: joanne.arciuli@sydney.edu.au
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Abstract

Lying is a deliberate attempt to transmit messages that mislead others. Analysis of language behaviors holds great promise as an objective method of detecting deception. The current study reports on the frequency of use and acoustic nature of “um” and “like” during laboratory-elicited lying versus truth-telling. Results obtained using a within-participants false opinion paradigm showed that instances of “um” occur less frequently and are of shorter duration during lying compared to truth-telling. There were no significant differences in relation to “like.” These findings contribute to our understanding of the linguistic markers of deception behavior. They also assist in our understanding of the role of “um” in communication more generally. Our results suggest that “um” may not be accurately conceptualized as a filled pause/hesitation or speech disfluency/error whose increased usage coincides with increased cognitive load or increased arousal during lying. It may instead carry a lexical status similar to interjections and form an important part of authentic, effortless communication, which is somewhat lacking during lying.

Type
Articles
Information
Applied Psycholinguistics , Volume 31 , Issue 3 , July 2010 , pp. 397 - 411
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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