NeuroLaw: Brain Assessments - 9 - Lie Detection

The Brain Assessments microcredential course is offered by the Michigan State University Neuroscience and Law program for students and working professionals with an interest in learning how neuroscience can be applied to their role in the crimimal justice system, whether it be law enforcement, criminal investigation, forensics, social work, or in the courtroom.

This ninth module finally brings us to lie detection, which is likely what you first thought of when it comes to using neuroscience in the courts. I’m sorry to disappoint you though – lie detection, at least up until this point, has been a complete bust. The idea was that distinct patterns of brain activity could differentiate between truths and lies, but the research evidence has yet to provide convincing support for that hypothesis. Brain-based lie detection was thought to be a vast improvement over the polygraph test, but other than being flashier and more expensive, it hasn’t actually proven to be much better. What’s important to understand though is why that’s the case, and we get into that here, both in terms of what all the criticisms of lie detection are, and why there may be false assumptions upon which at least some of these criticisms have been based. Finally we get into constitutional issues with lie detection, and how creating a regulatory framework for lie detection may actually help get it where it needs to be, in order to get its foot in the door and actually start being used in court on a limited basis; at least until it has the opportunity to prove itself, or not prove itself – to be determined.

All this and more in the 80 minute Lie Detection module of the Brain Assessments microcredential course for NeuroLaw.