Theories about lies

Four-factor Model

Description

When people tell lies, there are four underlying mechanisms at work:

• Arousal: Lying causes anxiety and arousal, either because of dissonance at conflicting values and behavior, or due to fear of getting caught. This can be detected via lie detectors, speech errors and hesitations, repetitions, fidgeting and displacement activity, blinking, higher vocal pitch and pupil dilation.
• Behavior control: We try to control body language that might give us away. In fact this is impossible and leakage often occurs, for example where we are controlling our face and our legs give us away.
• Emotion: Our emotions change when we are lying. For example, duping delight, where the liar is secretly pleased at their perceived success. Guilt may also appear. Micro-motions in facial muscles can betray hidden emotions.
• Thinking: To lie, we usually have to think a lot harder, such as to ensure coherence in our arguments. This leads us to take longer in speaking with more pauses. We also tend to use more generalities to avoid getting trapped by specific detail.

Research

Zuckerman et al. found pupil dilation to be a fairly good indicator of deception. Many other indicators have been found, such as fidgeting, blinking, vocal pitch, etc. Like non-verbal behavior, however, no single method is guaranteed to work each time.

Example

Poker players often wear dark glasses to hide the dilation of their pupils when they are aroused that they cannot control. Otherwise, they are often masters of controlling their non-verbal behavior.

So what?

Using it

Do not lie, especially in front of someone (like the police) who are trained to spot lies. Use the above pointers to detect when others are lying.

References

Zuckerman, DePaulo and Rosenthal (1981), Zuckerman and Driver (1985)

Interpersonal Deception Theory

Description

Lying happens in a dynamic interaction where liar and listener dance around one another, changing their thoughts in response to each other’s moves. Liar behavior includes:

• Manipulating information: to distance themselves from the message, so if the message is found to be false, they can extricate themselves. Thus they use vague generalities and talk about other people.
• Strategically control behavior: to suppress signals that might indicate that they are lying. For example their face may be more impassive and body more rigid.
• Image management: for example by smiling and nodding more.

Example

Watch small children who have found out about lying. They point at their siblings, put on their best 'innocent' expression, hold their hands behind their backs. At that age they are very flexible and learn fast. Before long they can pull the wool very well over their parent's eyes.

So what?

Using it

To detect liars, watch for the above behavioral patterns. People who are liars themselves tend to be better at detecting lying because they know the techniques better.

References

Buller and Burgoon (1994, 1996), Buller, Strzyzewski and Comstock (1991), Burgoon and Buller (1994)