9 Compelling Things You Need to Know About Lying to Help You Understand People Better

Despite the idea that it’s easier to lie if you don’t see the person who you want to deceive, 79% of the lies are told face-to-face. In 51% of the cases, we lie to our friends and in 21% — our family. There are some other things that you probably didn’t know about yourself and the art of lying. Read on to find out.

1. Toddlers start lying from the age of 2.

If you thought that toddlers were too little to lie, researchers have some news for you. They reported that children start doing it from the age of 2. The experiment showed that lies were told by:

1. 25% of 2-year-olds
2. 50% of 3-year-olds
3. 80% of 4-year-olds

Don’t judge them. It’s a part of improving their cognitive system, and it’s normal. Just don’t forget to encourage honesty in them.

2. When we’re lying, our pupils dilate.

A lot of people think that by looking into someone’s eyes, you can figure out if they are telling the truth. Another study showed that pupil dilation might signal deception. Our nervous system regulates pupil size, and when pupils dilate, it means that cognitive demand increases, and liars usually experience this demand.

3. There is no lie detector that actually works.

Advocates claim that polygraph tests are between 80% to 90% accurate. Actually, the National Research Council didn’t find any evidence of their effectiveness. It was indicated that this questioning technique is not ideal.

4. “Truth serum” doesn’t stop lying.

Yes, a person who has used a “truth serum” may create genuine facts. It’s also important to know that their words could just as easily be their imagination at work, and because of this, it’s very difficult to indicate if the words are true or false.

5. Liars often roll their lips together.

Rolling the lips back, so they almost disappear, could be a sign of deception. Also, liars are more likely to smile while looking forced or tense by pressing their lips together.

6. You probably lie 11 times a week on average.

Scientists found out that we may lie 11 times a week on average. Moreover, they found a link between people who lied less and those who are healthier in comparison to the no-lying group.

7. Liars can start believing their own lies.

Those who lie over and over again can start to believe this is reality. Experts say that self-deception is actually very common because this is how we can persuade others and protect our self-image.

8. Extroverts tend to lie more.

Lying is a common trait in society and can be a part of someone’s personality. Researchers say that people who are intelligent extroverts, and those who are not very agreeable, are most likely to lie. Also, intelligence plays a role. Lying simply improves brain activity.

9. People are better at detecting lies if the liar is wearing a face veil.

It was noticed by judges that face veils don’t interfere with detecting deception. It’s almost the opposite. Lying is easier to recognize when you don’t see someone’s whole face.

How often do you lie? Do you feel guilty if you have to cheat?