Dr. Cal Lightman (Tim Roth) Dr. Paul Ekman
The character of Dr. Cal Lightman (played by Tim Roth), a deception expert in the series ‘Lie To Me’ is pretty much based on a real-life clinical psychologist, Dr. Paul Ekman. In the show, Lightman is a scientist whose expertise in telling who is lying and who is not by detecting and interpreting microexpressions, or involuntary facial expressions that only last for seconds. He and his team of experts are running a consultation firm as they are usually hired by clients from law enforcement and government agencies to expose the truth behind the lies in unsolved cases, such as murders, bomb threats and even national security issues. Most of the significant elements that you can find in the series are based on Dr. Paul Ekman’s scientific discoveries from the last century in reading and analysing the emotional and behavioural information let out from the facial expression.
Paul Ekman (born February 15, 1934) is a psychologist who has been a pioneer in the study of emotions and their relation to facial expressions. He is considered one of the 100 most eminent psychologists of the twentieth century. The background of Ekman's research analyses the development of human traits and states over time. His research indicates that our facial expressions for emotion are innate, universal and nearly impossible to conceal. From the U.S. to Japan, Africa and New Guinea, happiness, anger, surprise and despair trigger the same facial muscles. Ekman’s research has made a strong argument, which in-line with Darwin’s theory, yet had been largely dismissed by scientists who believed that facial expressions are culturally determined.
Paul Ekman (born February 15, 1934) is a psychologist who has been a pioneer in the study of emotions and their relation to facial expressions. He is considered one of the 100 most eminent psychologists of the twentieth century. The background of Ekman's research analyses the development of human traits and states over time. His research indicates that our facial expressions for emotion are innate, universal and nearly impossible to conceal. From the U.S. to Japan, Africa and New Guinea, happiness, anger, surprise and despair trigger the same facial muscles. Ekman’s research has made a strong argument, which in-line with Darwin’s theory, yet had been largely dismissed by scientists who believed that facial expressions are culturally determined.
In the 1970s, Paul Ekman and W V Friesen developed the Facial Action Coding System (FACS) to measure, describe, and interpret facial behaviours. This instrument is designed to measure even the slightest facial muscle contractions and determine what category or categories each facial action fits into.
His famous books include Telling Lies, Emotions Revealed and Unmasking the Face.
Some of Paul Ekman's works
