December, 2009 The Thrill of Lying The Navy warrant officer John Anthony Walker, Jr. was convicted as a spy for the Soviet Union in 1987, and is serving a life sentence. The New York Times said he had been the most damaging spy in history, having helped the Soviets decipher over 200,000 encrypted naval messages. It wasn’t the polygraph that …
Hidden Facial Messages November, 2009 Subtle Expressions It was the last day of the Irangate Congressional hearings. Lt. Colonel Oliver North, impressively uniformed, very much in command of the situation, listened attentively as Congressman Lee Hamilton praised North’s many years of dedicated service to the country. Then without warning Hamilton said “but you almost brought a President down”. North did …
Why Do Lies Fail? October, 2009 Feeling Guilty Why do lies fail? I asked people “If you could be absolutely certain that your lover would never find out, would you have a one-night stand with a very attractive person?” About half said “no”. They didn’t differ from those who said “yes” (that they would cheat) in whether they were married …
Why do lies fail? September 2009 When asking why lies fail, it’s important to remember this: Not all do. “Can’t talk now, just on the way out the door”. “I love your new dress.” “What a great evening, thanks so much.” “Sorry, couldn’t get a babysitter. Which lies fail? Instead of asking why lies fail or succeed, instead turn your …
Reasons for Lying March, 2009 Avoiding Punishment “I thought I was only going 55 miles an hour officer” claims the driver speeding at 70 mph. “My wristwatch stopped so I had no idea that I got home 2 hours after my curfew”, says the teenager. Avoiding punishment is the most frequent reason people tell serious lies, regardless of their age, …