This is the first part in a series on why lies fail. Read part 2 here.
When asking why lies fail, it’s important to remember this:
Not all do.
Sound familiar? These are lies that often succeed, because we want to protect ourselves or other people—and because it would be rude if the target of our lie challenged whether the truth was being told or not.
On the other hand, there are certainly times when our lying fails.
Instead of asking why lies fail or succeed, turn your attention to which types and circumstances of lies tend to fail:
Of course, some types of lies do typically work, such as trivial lies. These types of lies succeed because nothing is at stake, the liar doesn’t expect to be questioned, and doesn’t fear being caught. If by accident the target later finds out that the truth had not been told, or what had been said was an excuse or flattery, then no harm done.
Research shows that it is easy to tell such trivial lies precisely because nothing much is at stake, so there will be no clues to deceit in demeanor. Of course, many lies—trivial or serious—are detected not from what the liar said or how he or she said it, but from other sources unrelated to the liar’s demeanor. A witness observes a violation of the lie, or some physical evidence (lipstick on the shirt collar), for example.
Learn More
For more information, be sure to read Why Lies Fail—Part 2 or take our lying quiz to see how well you can detect deception.
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