Can you spot a liar? The 8 types of lies

We all know the famous Disney character named Pinocchio, whose nose grew every time he lied. Well, more than one would have to stretch this organ of the respiratory system, because we lie more than we think.

That seems to indicate a study published in the book "Liespotting: Proven Techniques to Detect Deception" by author Pamela Meyer. As this text explains, people usually lie between 10 and 200 times a day, since we usually tell parts of the truth. In other words, we say only those phrases that people want to hear, those that are considered socially acceptable.

Also, lying is more common when we have just met someone new. In another book called "The liar in your life", Professor of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Robert Feldman, explains that: “We lied two to three times in the first 10 minutes of the first conversation with someone we just met. know". How do you explain this? According to Feldman, lying is an automatic self-esteem protection mechanism that is activated when we meet someone for the first time.

The "Pinocchio Effect" to detect lies

But the relationship between lies and the nose, which characterizes the famous Disney character, is not only science fiction. An investigation of the Department of Experimental Psychology of the University of Granada has discovered that it increases the temperature of our face when we lie, especially in the area of nose. It is what is known as the “Pinocchio effect"To carry out their study, they used thermography: a technique that detects body temperature.

The truth is that human beings are very bad lie detectors. This is confirmed by a study by Brigham Young University in the United States, which concludes that, when we have a person in front of us, we only realize that the other is cheating us between 54% and 56% of the occasions. And if it is difficult to catch a liar in person, it is more difficult to catch him when we speak on WhatsApp.

• If you want to know some tricks to interpret WhatsApp messages, you can read our article: "How can I know if I am being lied to by WhatsApp?”

The 8 types of lies

As we can see, we have all lied at times. But are all lies the same? Certainly not. There are lies that are used to avoid hurting someone, lies that are used to achieve something and lies that are the result of an exaggeration.

Then we present you the different types of lies, in a practical guide that can be useful to be prepared to your appointments and in your daily life.

1. White lies

We could say that white lies are lies that are justified and, for many, are forgivable. This is because white lies have a benevolent intention. For example, if someone gives us something that may be special to them, but that you don't like and, furthermore, you know that you are not going to use it in your life. Surely you lie to him and tell him that you have loved his gift. Basically, in this example, the lie is used so as not to hurt the feelings of another person.

2. Broken promises

The broken promises they are a failure to keep a previously discussed commitment, and they are characterized because there is a kind of implicit contract. Broken promises can be especially damaging when the person who made the promise had no intention of keeping her word from the start, because they create hope in the other person.

Sometimes it can happen that a white lie is also a broken promise. For example, if a girl you have asked to go for a drink, she accepts your invitation to look good. But later, when the time comes, he stands you up because he never intended to go out with you. That is, he only did it so that you would not feel bad at that moment and could get out of that compromised situation.

3. Intentional or instrumental lies

The intentional or instrumental lies They are not benevolent, but quite the opposite: they seek self-interest. These types of lies have the characteristic that they are used to get something, for example, a job.

Many people have lied on their resume to get a job. As you can see, these lies do not have to have a malicious intention. Although, in some cases, people can use them to harm another individual.

4. Lies towards oneself (self-deception)

These types of lies are unconscious and have to do with our beliefs, because it is difficult for us to question them. Also, sometimes, it is difficult for us to accept reality and it is easier to lie to ourselves to avoid the fear of uncertainty, because that way we do not have to leave the comfort zone.

The cognitive dissonanceit is one of the most frequent causes of self-deception. A classic example of this phenomenon is that of smokers. They know that smoking can lead to cancer, respiratory problems, chronic fatigue, and even death. Even so, the vast majority continue to smoke because they deceive themselves with phrases such as: "what's the use of living long if you can't enjoy life."

5. The rumors

Rumors have to do, more than with intention, with the effect that a lie produces. One of its characteristics is that several people participate in the rumors. A rumor is information whose veracity is in doubt or cannot be corroborated, because it is not known with certainty if it is true. Someone can intentionally spread a rumor although there does not have to be an underlying intention.

For example, a man named Antonio saw a coworker leave his boss's office with a very friendly attitude and they hugged each other. Surprised, and since his boss is not exactly the kindest person in the world, he runs to tell another colleague (Juan). Juan, who has not seen the event, but who because of Antonio's reaction thinks that there is something serious between the boss and the employee, the next morning another office colleague tells him about it. The latter tells it to another colleague, who does the same until he knows the whole office. The last person to tell it has received the distorted information, and the details about what happened They have been exaggerated in such a way that it really seems that there is a romantic relationship between the two actors.

Rumors can cause a lot of damage, and in fact, it was one of the strategies used by the Nazis for the German population to reject the Jews during World War II.

6. Exaggeration

Surely you have ever come across someone who tends to exaggerate everything he says. For example, that he has flirted with many girls when in reality he has only been successful with one. Well, exaggeration is just that. They are usually stories that have some truth, but are often exaggerated to impress others.

In addition to the stories in which lies are added, there are also lies by omission, characterized in that the person does not make up the story, but omits relevant data.

7. Plagiarism

Plagiarism refers not only to lies, but also to theft. It consists of copying the work of another. Plagiarism is a serious act and can have legal consequences. Some students have failed classes for it, and some professional writers have been reported for having copied the works of other individuals. In addition, there is willfulness in plagiarism, it is an act of bad faith. That is why it is one of the most reprehensible lies, because it combines both the appropriation of a work that is not one's own and the fraud.

8. Compulsive lies

Compulsive lies It's the lies that compulsive liars make over and over. They are usually caused by a serious problem (for example, low self-esteem) so these people often require attention. In fact, a compulsive liar may have a hard time stopping their urge to lie, and they often tell lies even when it is easier to tell the truth.

• Learn about the real case of a compulsive liar in our article: "Psychoanalyzed compulsive liar: a real case”

Bibliographic references:

• Adler, J.E. Lying, deceiving, or falsely implicating. Journal of Philosophy.
• Carson, Thomas L. (2006). The Definition of Lying. Nous.
• Fallis, Don. (2009). What is Lying?. Journal of Philosophy.
• Sorensen, Roy. (2007). Bald-Faced Lies! Lying Without the Intent to Deceive. Pacific Philosophical Quarterly.