Signs of Truthfullness

Signs of Truthfulness is Witness Accounts
From Derren Brown's book, Tricks of the Mind, p246-249

1. Unstructured production- Truthful, unrehearsed stories, tend to jump forward and backward in time.
2. Quantity of details- the richer the details, the more likely it is true
3. Contextual embedding- If the story takes place within the context of daily life rather than within a vaccuum.
4. Descriptions of Interactions- True stories are more likely to involve interactions between the characters. (A reacting to B)
5. Reproduction of speech- few liars will reproduce parts of a dialogue in their stories
6. Unexpected complications during the incident. -If the story doesn't have them, it is less likely to be true.
7. Unusual details- Often superfluous to the main thrust of the story.
8. Accurately reported details misunderstood- Reporting facts where the meaning is lost on the teller.
9. Accounts of subjective mental state- Reference to feelings or thoughts during the story.
10. Attribution of the perpetrator's mental state.- For example, "he was clearly annoyed because of XXX..."
11. Spontaneous corrections- little corrections or dropped in additions
12. Admitting a lack of memory. - "I cant remember where we ate..."
13. Raising doubts about one's own testimony. - "I might have this wrong. My memory is hazy."
14. Self-deprecation- Referring to details that might incriminate himself or make him feel foolish.