#behaviour analysis

Like if it was a practical problem, this man is finding you a solution one way or another. But if it's like a personal problem, he feels awkward and he doesn't know how to deal with it but he's definitely be there for the person. Because he was isolated from childhood, family didn't pay much attention to him because he's quiet which also leads to him being really independent because he's used to having to do things for himself. And he'll feel bad if anyone had to do anything for him and will want to repay them. It could be a result of his mother who made to keep the house in order, put food on the table, take care of 7 kids and also educate them before they go to Hogwarts.

Percy is shown as a nerd, someone who likes books and there are actual scientific articles saying that people who read more have more empathy because they allow themselves to see things from other people's perspective.

Percy would see the stress his mother is dealing with, the stress his father is dealing with to try keep a roof over their head and would step foward to help if needed so they have a little break.

So when it comes to personal problems, he doesn't ask for help because he doesn't want to worry anyone. This in turn means that he never learned how to actually offer empathy or comfort someone and ends up being awkward. He's better at finding practical solutions not emotional because he's always been emotionally reserved.

This could be why Percy is always making sure his siblings aren't getting into trouble. Its because he doesn't want his parents to be worried but also if his siblings ever got hurt, he knows he doesn't have the ability to offer proper empathy. So he prevents any problems from happening in the first place.

Below is a scenario to summarise.

Percy when his family goes to hin for emotional support: Umm- So like I'm not qualified enough to deal with this but I could book you a therapy session?

This type of harm-reduction program has in it principles of behaviour analysis for managing and controlling access to alcohol, a highly potent reinforcer for alcoholics. 

An abstinence program essentially puts usual alcohol getting behaviours on extinction (purposely withholding or blocking access to a known reinforcer). With extinction can come other induced behaviour such as aggression, emotional responses associated with irritability, frustration, anger, a variability in behaviours to get the same reinforcer (e.g., resorting to rubbing alcohol) and a resurgence of behaviours previously associated with alcohol-getting (e.g., stealing, hustling).  These behaviours are just as likely to be problematic without much to offer in the way of support or intervention. They may cause the person to come in contact with emergency health services or the police.

Instead this harm reduction program puts access to alcohol on an interval schedule of reinforcement.  Quantities and timing are managed by nurses. By being offered in a stable environment, the signal of reinforcement is clear and predictable (i.e., the person doesn’t need to go outside of this repertoire looking for other sources and potentially putting themselves in risky situations). Withdrawal effects can be controlled for, hopefully minimizing emotional and physical responses. No abstinence. No extinction. No extinction effects.  

The other advantage to this approach is that by showing up on site, people can now access other reinforcers such as social interaction, leisure or work opportunities and connection to services that can help them meet their needs. If their number one reinforcer is being accessed on a fixed and predictable schedule, this leaves time and space to acquire the social-emotional/self-management skills that will address the motivating factors that drive excessive drinking. As these skills are acquired, the reinforcement schedule can be carefully and systematically thinned (e.g., slight reductions in quantity or increasing the interval).

History and Origins Criminal profiling emerged as formal profession in the late 20th century, with pioneers like John E. Douglas at the FBI combining investigative experience with behavioural science to “see the mind behind the crime”. Profiling integrates forensic psychology, criminology, and systematic observation, distinguishing it from standard investigative roles.

The Observer’s Perspective Profilers rely on systematic observation rather than immediate judgment, tracking patterns across interrogations, staged encounters, or behavioural observations. Single moments can mislead; sequences rarely lie.

Criminal Profilers: The Architects of the Profile Criminal profilers hold “Top Secret” folders, connect evidence on boards, and uncover the hidden meaning behind behavioural patterns. They reveal how a well-planned, premeditated crime unfolds and guide the investigation. While behaviour analysts provide detailed insights, criminal profilers weave those pieces into a complete profile, directing risk assessment, predictions, and investigative decisions. Profilers catch a web of lies, crimes, behaviours, and evidence, turning fragments of each into an actionable, single truth. Every observation, cue, and pattern counts.

The Key Difference: Versatility A skilled profiler connects and deciphers multiple threads simultaneously, anticipates deception, and uncovers patterns that a behaviour analyst alone might miss across the full scope of an investigation. Their effectiveness comes not from hierarchy or rank but from the versatility of forensic knowledge, which allows them to interpret and apply evidence across diverse contexts.

Roles and Scope Behavioural analysts and criminal profilers have distinct roles, even though their work sometimes overlaps. Confusing the two is common, but the distinction is important. Analysts study behaviour, patterns, and motivations, providing insights based on available data. Profilers, on the other hand, integrate those insights with crime scene evidence and investigative context to build operational profiles. While a profiler can perform analysis as part of their work, an analyst alone does not have access to the full investigative material required to create a complete profile.

Behavioural Analyst • Observe interactions, such as interrogations or staged encounters • Detect cues, sequences, and emotional authenticity • Provide objective data and reports to profilers

Criminal Profiler (Criminal Investigative Analyst) • Operate across the full investigation, from crime scene to suspect interactions • Integrate psychological profiling, criminal history, and investigative data • Anticipate risk, deception, and escalation • Apply analysis insights into actionable strategies

Collaboration and Independent Profiling Analysts provide detailed observations on behavioural cues and timing, which can enrich a profiler’s understanding. Profilers are not limited to working with analysts. Skilled profilers can observe, interpret, and connect behavioural cues independently, sometimes without the need for analyst involvement. Collaboration can be valuable for refining profiles and anticipating potential actions, but it is the profiler’s versatility and forensic knowledge that allows observation, analysis, and investigation to remain seamlessly connected.

Manipulation, Deception, Real vs Fake Behaviour and Emotions Congruence is the guiding principle of deception detection. Genuine emotion shows alignment across body, face, voice, and timing. Fake or performed emotion often breaks this alignment. Subtle mismatches reveal controlled behaviour and can indicate manipulation.

Genuine emotion follows natural biological sequences. Performative emotion is strategic and controlled. Subtle leaks, microexpressions, and inconsistencies reveal the truth. This works hand-in-hand with forensic psychology or the profiler’s own expertise.

Body Language

Real: Gestures naturally match posture. Movements flow and feel unforced.

Fake: Movements are small, stiff, or exaggerated. Arms may be crossed, torso pulled in, and shoulders tense to control appearance.

Emotional Flow

Real: Intensity rises and falls naturally. Shifts feel seamless and match internal state.

Fake: Abrupt changes, exaggerated peaks, or pauses show conscious control.

Physiological Signs

Real: Blushing, pupil changes, tiny twitches, and natural tremors appear automatically.

Fake: Few involuntary signs. Fingers, jaw, and lips stay tight; subtle sweating may occur without real emotion.

Sequence and Context

Real: Emotions follow logical patterns and fit the situation naturally.

Fake: Timing may be off, gestures slightly behind or out of place, and overall expression feels planned.

Energy and Contraction Cues

Micro-contractions: clenched hands, tight jaw, tense shoulders

Restricted movement: small, deliberate gestures, rigid posture

Breath and voice: shallow, controlled, minimal sighs

Eyes: intermittent gaze, reduced blinking, static pupils

Leaks: microexpressions flash briefly despite control, hinting at cognitive overcompensation, a defensive mechanism that can start consciously and become involuntary over time

Principle to Remember: Micro-Leaks Are Micro-Leads Tiny, involuntary cues are micro-leaks. They reveal what someone truly feels or thinks, even under conscious control. Fleeting facial expressions, subtle posture shifts, or rapid eye movements observed over time point to hidden intentions, emotions, and motives, just like Freudian slips reveal unconscious thoughts in speech.

Example: A suspect says, “I’m calm,” with steady tone and deliberate posture, but their lips tremble slightly or gaze flickers briefly. That micro-leak shows concealed tension or emotion.

Manipulation/Deception Cue Example: Someone fakes crying, softens their voice, and lightly touches the observer’s hand to trigger trust or intimacy. Paired with micro-leaks, this reveals an attempt to influence perception while hiding real intent.

Freudian Slips (Parapraxes) Brief, unconscious errors in speech, action, or expression reveal hidden thoughts or emotions. Introduced by Sigmund Freud in 1901, these slips show internal conflict or concealed feelings. The unconscious can override conscious control, letting suppressed desires, anxieties, or emotions surface. In behavioural observation, these slips offer insight into what a person truly thinks or feels beyond their controlled exterior. "Even words can betray what the mind seeks to hide."

Key Applied Behavioural Techniques (ABA) in Profiling These tools help profilers detect real patterns, subtle cues, and hidden motives:

Reinforcement: Watch behaviors that increase when rewarded

Extinction: Stop reinforcing a behavior to reduce it (e.g., ignoring a tantrum performed for attention)

Prompting: Use cues to elicit responses, revealing hidden knowledge or intent

Shaping: Reinforce steps toward a target action, noticing flexibility or manipulation

Chaining: Break complex actions into sequences; observe planning, habits, or automatic routines

Generalization: See if behaviors transfer across contexts, showing adaptability

These techniques are less about teaching and more about reading real versus performed behaviour.

Key Steps in Criminal Profiling Approaches used by Criminal Profilers to investigations, from start to end:

1. Gathering Information / Data Assimilation Every available detail is collected. Crime scene photographs, autopsy findings, victim history, witness statements, and investigative reports. Each element helps build context, not just about the crime itself, but about the offender behind it.

2. Making Sense of the Crime / Decision Process Models Once information is gathered, patterns begin to form. The type of crime is examined alongside the victim’s lifestyle, habits, and risk factors. This stage helps determine whether the act was impulsive, calculated, or part of a broader pattern, laying the groundwork for behavioural prediction.

3. Analyzing the Crime Scene / Crime Scene Assessment The crime scene speaks through structure and disorder. Organized scenes often point to planning and control, while disorganized scenes suggest chaos, stress, or impulsivity. Modus operandi and signature behaviours are identified to better understand the offender’s mindset and emotional state during the act.

4. Constructing the Profile / Criminal Profile Generation All observations are synthesized into a behavioural profile. This includes estimated age range, gender, habits, psychological traits, and possible motivations. The goal is not just description, but connection. Linking behaviour to identity.

5. Guiding the Investigation / Investigation and Apprehension The profile then feeds back into the investigation. It helps narrow suspects, shape interviews, anticipate reactions, and guide investigative decisions. In some cases, it also supports legal proceedings by reinforcing behavioural consistency.

This year I gained certifications in Six Channel Analysis System (SCAnS™) and Facial Action Coding System (FACS), two scientific systems that can be useful in analysing human behaviour. This article focuses on explaining SCAnS™, while a separate article focuses on FACS.

What is the Six Channel Analysis System (SCAnS™)?

Developed by the Emotional Intelligence Academy (EIA), SCAnS™ is a behaviour analysis methodology used to code human behaviour. The Six Channel Analysis System helps to discern potential deception by identifying clusters of behavioural points of interest across multiple communication channels. The six channels are:

Face

Body

Voice

Linguistic Content

Interactional Style

Psychophysiology

Academically peer-reviewed and tested in counter-terrorism contexts, SCAnS™ is considered the gold standard in behaviour analysis. It’s used in the security sector for screening by airports, national intelligence and global diplomacy. It’s also used by law enforcement, military, recruitment and negotiation, and by behaviour analysts, such as myself, for deception detection on private or criminal cases.

Six Channel Analysis System (SCAnS) Development 

Body Language Myths

Six Channel Analysis System development began in 2008 to combat widespread myths surrounding lie detection and credibility assessment. Unfortunately, these body language myths are still common among body language ‘experts’ and law enforcement professionals. Part of my work involves dispelling these myths, which have filtered down to the general public. When believed, these myths can be damaging within all types of relationships. Common myths include eye direction, nose and ear touching and gaze avoidance.

Since 2008, SCAnS™ has been reviewed, tested and implemented in various settings. This year (2023), the SCAnS™ training programme was rolled out as a pilot programme for behaviour analysts to gain certification. I completed the pilot programme and can share my experience about the process, in case you’re interested in gaining the certification too.

How Six Channel Analysis System (SCAnS) Works

The Six Channel Analysis System utilises 27 behavioural indicators, known as Points of Interest (PIns), that fall into one of the six communication channels (face, body, voice, linguistic content, interactional style and psychophysiology). EIA claims the 27 PIns are evidence-based, with five or more peer-reviewed research papers connecting the behaviours to deception.

SCAnS™ coders observe behaviour, usually from video, identifying PIns. Clusters of three or more PIns, from two or more communication channels that occur within a seven-second timeframe are documented as potential indicators of deception. Coders hypothesise and document meaning and areas to dig deeper, concluding the report with potential areas of deception and suggestions for further lines of inquiry. 

Contrary to popular belief, this kind of behaviour analysis is not typically used in courts as evidence of deception, and, in many countries, it isn’t permitted in court. Instead, such analyses are most useful for criminal investigations, pre-trail, as they help guide investigations to uncover the truth.

Studying Six Channel Analysis System (SCAnS)

Bear in mind that I completed the SCAnS™ training pilot programme, so changes may have been made since. I had also completed an MSc in Communication, Behaviour and Credibility Analysis, with EIA and Manchester Metropolitan University, so had (somewhat) learned the basics of SCAnS™.

Since I had completed the MSc, my training included a one-day virtual group training refresher and an hour of private virtual coaching. It appears the general training now available from EIA includes a two-day virtual group training and a passive online element that sets the foundations before the live training. 

I’m assuming the two-day training is more robust because I felt that the one-day ‘refresher’ training didn’t go far enough. It was a pilot programme, so knowing EIA, I trust our feedback was considered to improve training. 

There were, without doubt, many elements that I hadn’t learned on the MSc programme, that were assumed we would know. I believe this was also the experience of my peers. Even though I’ve been working in the field for years, and am more knowledgeable about behavioural indicators than some others on the MSc, there were knowledge gaps. It was challenging, and I did wonder how others with less knowledge could pass when I wasn’t sure whether I would pass. I did, I passed at 86%, but I’m very pedantic and put a tonne of effort into it.

I searched for answers to fill my understanding via books and research papers, finding no explanations in some cases. This was somewhat concerning for me, given the behavioural indicators are science-based. I’m not saying they aren’t, but I did struggle to find evidence in some cases. I was particularly looking for information on the shoulder shrug and eye closures. 

The Six Channel Analysis System (SCAnS) Assessment

To gain certification, trainees code four videos of individuals using SCAnS™ methodology. These are real-life investigations and you’ll probably recognise the individuals or may have memories of the cases from news reports.

Like with Facial Action Coding System (FACS), and CatFACS, there’s a requirement to gain 70% accuracy with coding. EIA assesses your coding against certified coders' results. Unlike the FACS test, where results are automatically calculated with instant grading, SCAnS™ is marked manually. Therefore, an additional remarking fee is charged if you fail to reach 70% accuracy the first time round. You can resubmit as many times as you need to. 

Key Benefit of Six Channel Analysis System (SCAnS)

Where SCAnS™ excels, is in its cross-channel analysis. Most behaviour analysis systems focus on just one communication channel, for example, statement analysis, body language or facial expression. My primary area of investigation was initially body language and facial expression. However, around 2016, I studied and gained certification in statement analysis, adding this to the mix.

I wanted to see how much information statement analysis could glean in comparison to body language and facial expression. What I found interesting, were the claims purporting that statement analysis was the only way to detect deception and other means did not work. I found that statement analysis did not glean more information than other means, it simply added information. It makes common sense that more channels will provide more information. Views that a single channel is the way to go are close-minded, a mentality that doesn’t bode well for behaviour analysis, where open-mindedness is key to not going down a rabbit hole of false belief.

Wrapping Up Six Channel Analysis System (SCAnS)

Like FACS, SCAnS™ is viewed as a gold standard in behaviour analysis, each used for different purposes, with science-based methodology. Both offer a comprehensive, unobtrusive and more objective methodology, and both can be difficult to master with time-intensive training and coding. I’m okay with this though, because it takes effort to be good at anything. I hate to think about behaviour analysts practising without rigorous training–and yet, unfortunately, they are out there.

All methodologies such as FACS and SCAnS™ are open to subjectivity and bias; however, The rigorous assessment with its 70% agreement pass mark mitigates reliability issues.

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Hi Anonymous

I do not know of any one specific elaboration; however, I have to assume that relational frame theorists have something to say about it.  Their work focuses on associative learning - i.e., the relations we make between events (or stimuli) and the language we attach to it.  

Your timing is also great because there is a recent article in The Behavior Analyst (see Hayes and Fryling, 2015) that touches on stimulus-stimulus association and “stimulus substitution”, using an example of ‘seeing’ a person when you see their car.  Seeing something (i.e., a behaviour) in the absence of the thing to be seen to me means that some other thing (i.e., a stimulus) in the environment is cuing that ‘image’.  The function of which has been transferred from one stimulus to another (Hayes & Fryling, 2015).  Check out the article when you get a chance!  

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