Can The Pinocchio Syndrome Solve The Niqab Dilemma?
25 Jul 2010
Can you tell if someone is lying if the face is covered with a niqab? It’s a current Canadian question as a law court attempts to decide whether or not a sexual assault complainant may be allowed to wear her niqab in court. Can the “Pinocchio Syndrome”, and two former U.S presidents help attorneys decide this issue?
Several years ago I talked with Dr. Alan Hirsch, a psychiatrist associated with the Department of Neurology and Psychiatry at Rush Presbyterian St. Lukes Medical Centre in Chicago. Hirsch remarked, “The next time you believe you’re getting snow-balled by a person, think of the Pinocchio Syndrome”.
Dr. Hirsch claimed that blood rushes to the nose of people who lie. This sudden increase in blood supply makes the nose itchy. The obvious result? Liars will either start to scratch their nose or touch it more frequently.
But Hirsch reports other ways to spot liars other than by their nose. Some liars clear their throat more often, or begin to stutter and make grammatical errors when talking.
Body language also aids in separating fact from fiction. Those about to make the big lie usually lean forward, constantly change position or rest their elbows on the table.
If an attorney is still wondering if a defendant is leading him or she down the primrose path he should take a hard look at their lips. Liars normally tighten their lips or frequently lick their lips, and they tend to swallow and drink more. Liars are also more likely to touch their hair, clench their fists or take deep breaths.
But how could former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton and Richard Nixon help to decide whether the niqab should be worn or disallowed in a court of law?
Dr. Hirsch obtained the tapes of Clinton’s appearance a grand jury on August 17, 1998. Then he obtained one of Clinton’s fund-raising speeches. This showed that during the grand jury hearing when he was simply providing his name and other insignificant details, Clinton passed the truth test. He also received good marks for the fundraising speech.
But Hirsch reports that it was obvious the truth began to fade before the grand jury. 19 of 23 warnings of falsified facts appeared. For instance, conspicuous increases in sighing, shrugs, leaning forward and arms crossing could be seen. Clinton was also caught bare-footed by the “Pinocchio Syndrome”.
Courtroom lawyers might also make use of the research conducted several years ago by Dr. A Stern, Chairman of the Psychology Department at Washington University in St. Louis. Stern is an expert on blinking which was triggered during Nixon’s Watergate hearing.
Dr. Stern explains that we do not blink at random. Rather, we blink at times that are psychologically important. For instance, you have listened to a question, you understand it, but now before answering you take timeout for a blink. In effect, blinks are like the punctuation marks in writing. And the timing of the blink is what’s going on in your head.
So how did former president Richard Nixon rate? Stern reported that “Nixon’s blink rate increased markedly when asked a question he was not prepared to answer”.
Stern continued, “His speech was well-controlled and he did not manifest any other symptoms of anxiety, but you could see it in his eyes. Most politicians have learned to disguise their feelings except in ways they cannot inhibit”.
Further research shows that liars generally avoid direct eye contact. They tend to roll their eyes as they speak as if they’re looking for the next line in a script, which is precisely what they are doing. And liars also tend to look upwards to the left.
The wearing of the niqab should be an interesting court case. I’m sure lawyer for the complainant will argue that there’s more to arriving at the truth than the wearing of a niqab. The opposing lawyer will argue that analyzing facial features is critical in cross examination and that the law should allow him every advantage to establish the truth, that the wearing o a niqab can eliminate vital evidence. After all, how can you spot Pinocchio’s Syndrome behind a niqab?
Who will win? I’d be interested in your comments
