The Psychology of False Confessions and Deceptive Behavior

The video discusses the phenomenon of false confessions, highlighting how high anxiety and pressure can lead individuals to appear guilty or even confess to crimes they didn't commit. It critiques the reliability of polygraphs, noting their high rate of false positives and negatives. The video also explores research on memory manipulation, showing how authority figures can influence individuals to internalize guilt and confabulate details. Finally, it addresses how exhaustion and prolonged questioning can lead to confusion and false confessions, with DNA evidence revealing many wrongful convictions.

Why might someone appear guilty even if they are innocent?

• They are not good at lying.

• High anxiety levels can mimic signs of guilt.

• They are trying to hide something else.

• They have a guilty conscience.

What is a major flaw of polygraphs in lie detection?

• They are only effective on certain people.

• They produce too many false positives and negatives.

• They require a long time to administer.

• They are too expensive to use.

Despite their unreliability, who still uses polygraphs?

• Only private investigators.

• Medical professionals.

• School administrators.

• The military and intelligence agencies.

What percentage of subjects internalized guilt in the study mentioned?

• 50%

• 100%

• 65%

• 35%

How can authority figures influence false confessions?

• By offering rewards for confessions.

• By convincing individuals they committed acts they did not do.

• By providing legal advice.

• By using physical force.