HOW EYELIDS MAY BETRAY DECEIT? MACHIAVELLIAN PERSONALITY AND TWO KINDS OF BLINKING AS CORRELATES OF EMOTIONAL AND COGNITIVE PROCESSES

The author explores blinking as component of startle reflex and spontanous behavior - especially eyelid flutters and prolonged eye closures. In experimental study these two kinds of blinking were analysed in high and low Machiavellian subjects during telling truth and telling lies. The results are consistent with the idea that flutters can be associated with cognitive processes like censoring as well as with negative emotions. Prolonged eyelid closures seems to be rather correlates of emotional processes. It turns out that Individual differences in Machiavellian personality can influence eyelid flutters rate during telling lies. Pros and cons of two kinds of blinking as clues to deceit are also discussed.