Tip for Spotting Liars: Ask for the Story in Reverse

According to researchers from the University of Portsmouth, the best way for police detectives to spot liars is to "make the suspect repeat his or her version of events in reverse order."

The claim is made in this article in the UK Times: "Can the suspect tell his story backwards? If not, he's lying," by Michael Horsnell.

Will it work in depositions? I've never tried it myself, but maybe I will.

The idea is that a made-up story is difficult enough to remember in the right order. If asked to remember the story in reverse, the witness is bound to make mistakes.

The technique would seem to work best in a case that involves first, a central, key narrative like a car accident or a work injury and second, a witness who has a strong motive to lie.

Thanks to a reader for the link to the article.

Comments

[mikewas]

Ah, just in time. I've got depos coming up next week for some folks I'm almost positive will be lying. These seems like a great way to inject those self-contradictions into the record.