Lie Detection: Emotional Intelligence and the Facial Action Coding System

Abstract

The current research examines the validity, reliability, and uses of the Facial Action Coding System (FACS), as well as related programs dealing with lie detection and emotional intelligence. FACS is a comprehensive system used to study the muscle firings and tonus of the face, and is utilized by law enforcement professionals, criminal psychiatrists, and security details to discern emotion, personality, temperament, and future behavior. FACS has also aided in the development of EMF ACS, an emotional scoring system, and more recently FACSAID, which links facial expression with corresponding psychological interpretations through a database of coded images. There have been many incarnations of facial behavior coding, beginning with research by Landis in 1924 and culminating in FACS. The FACS program is based upon 44 Action Units, ranking intensity of all possible facial actions on a 5-point scale, while also including directions for duration measurement of each action. Spontaneous and emotional actions have been studied, and FACS has been utilized to study the six basic human emotions (surprise, fear, happiness, sadness, disgust, and anger) with provided Action Unit codings for each.