Lying is an everyday part of social interaction. We lie to make a good impression, to avoid doing something or to prevent an uncomfortable situation. But how often do people actually lie, and how good are we at detecting deception? Sophie van der Zee, a legal psychologist and Assistant Professor at Erasmus School of Economics, researches lying and deception.
‘I’m on my way’ is probably one of the most common lies in everyday social life. According to Sophie van der Zee, people often lie as a form of impression management: they present themselves as slightly nicer, more likeable or more intelligent than they really are. This happens, for example, in job applications and romantic relationships, where people may embellish their CV or dating profile.
Research involving more than 1,000 people, published in Acta Psychologica, shows that adolescents and young adults report telling more lies on average than older people. Van der Zee says this may be linked to the fact that people at this stage of life are keen to make an impression, for example when looking for a partner or a job.
Lying to avoid doing something
Lying is not always about making yourself look better. New, as yet unpublished research by Van der Zee and her colleagues suggests that people also use lies to avoid doing something. In a study at the NEMO Science Museum in Amsterdam, researchers asked parents and children about the most recent lie they had told. Parents, for example, said that an iPad battery was empty in order to limit their child’s screen time. Another example was telling children that the yellow McDonald’s ‘M’ is only lit when the restaurant is closed.
On average, people report telling around two lies a day. However, Van der Zee points out that this figure is somewhat misleading. Around half of people say they have not lied at all on a given day, while a small group lies very frequently. One participant working in the hospitality industry reported as many as 105 lies in a single day.
Omitting information can also be a lie
Research into lying also has methodological limitations. People are not necessarily very good at admitting to negative behaviour, Van der Zee explains. Diary studies may also influence participants’ behaviour because they know that they will have to record their lies afterwards. What is more, people do not always recognise that they are lying. Deliberately withholding information is also included in the scientific definition of lying. ‘People often don’t consider withholding something to be a lie, but it is,’ Van der Zee says. The scientific definition of lying therefore goes beyond simply making up something that is untrue. Deliberately exaggerating, minimising or withholding information can also constitute deception.
No Pinocchio’s nose
But can we tell whether someone is lying simply by observing their behaviour? According to Van der Zee, this is far more difficult than people often assume. There is no reliable physical or non-verbal signal that allows us to identify a liar with ease. ‘There is no human version of Pinocchio’s nose,’ Van der Zee says. The idea that liars automatically avoid eye contact or fidget nervously is not supported by solid scientific evidence. Detecting deception is therefore considerably more complex than many people believe.
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This article was written following a publication in De Volkskrant. It can be downloaded above (in Dutch).
For more information, please contact Ronald de Groot, Media & Public Relations Officer at Erasmus School of Economics: rdegroot@ese.eur.nl, +31 653 641 846.
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