Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-mlc7c Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-04T19:43:14.622Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Self-deception, lying, and the ability to deceive

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2011

Aldert Vrij
Affiliation:
Psychology Department, University of Portsmouth, Portsmouth PO1 2DY, United Kingdom. [email protected]://www.port.ac.uk/departments/academic/psychology/staff/title,50475,en.html

Abstract

Von Hippel & Trivers (VH&T) argue that people become effective liars through self-deception. It can be said, however, that people who believe their own stories are not lying. VH&T also argue that people are quite good lie detectors, but they provide no evidence for this, and the available literature contradicts their claim. Their reasons to negate this evidence are unconvincing.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Anderson, D. E., Ansfield, M. E. & DePaulo, B. M. (1999) Love's best habit: Deception in the context of relationships. In: The social context of nonverbal behaviour, ed. Philippot, P., Feldman, R. S. & Coats, E. J., pp. 372409. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Anderson, D. E., DePaulo, B. M. & Ansfield, M. E. (2002) The development of deception detection skill: A longitudinal study of same-sex friends. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 28:536–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bond, C. F. Jr. & DePaulo, B. M. (2006) Accuracy of deception judgments. Personality and Social Psychology Review 10:214–34.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buller, D. B., Strzyzewski, K. D. & Comstock, J. (1991) Interpersonal deception: I. Deceivers' reactions to receivers' suspicions and probing. Communication Monographs 58:124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
DePaulo, B. M., Kashy, D. A., Kirkendol, S. E., Wyer, M. M. & Epstein, J. A. (1996) Lying in everyday life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 70:979–95.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DePaulo, B. M., Wetzel, C., Weylin Sternglanz, R. & Walker Wilson, M. J. (2003) Verbal and nonverbal dynamics of privacy, secrecy, and deceit. Journal of Social Issues 59:391410.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fleming, J. M., Darley, J. H., Hilton, B. A. & Kojetin, B. A. (1990) Multiple audience problem: A strategic communication perspective on social perception. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 58:593609.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hartwig, M., Granhag, P. A., Strömwall, L. & Kronkvist, O. (2006) Strategic use of evidence during police interrogations: When training to detect deception works. Law and Human Behavior 30:603–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Levine, T. R. & McCornack, S. A. (1992) Linking love and lies: A formal test of the McCornack and Parks model of deception detection. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships 9:143–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCornack, S. A. & Parks, M. R. (1986) Detection deception and relational development: The other side of trust. In: Communication yearbook, vol. 9, ed. McLaughlin, M. L., pp. 377–89. Sage.Google Scholar
Millar, M. G. & Millar, K. U. (1995) Detection of deception in familiar and unfamiliar persons: The effects of information restriction. Journal of Nonverbal Behavior 19:6984.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Park, H. S., Levine, T. R., McCornack, S. A., Morrisson, K. & Ferrara, M. (2002) How people really detect lies. Communication Monographs 69:144–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stiff, J. B., Kim, H. J. & Ramesh, C. N. (1992) Truth biases and aroused suspicion in relational deception. Communication Research 19:326–45.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vrij, A. (2008) Detecting lies and deceit: Pitfalls and opportunities, 2nd ed. Wiley.Google Scholar
Vrij, A., Granhag, P. A., Mann, S. & Leal, S. (in press) Outsmarting the liars: Towards a cognitive lie detection approach. Current Directions in Psychological Science.Google Scholar
Vrij, A., Mann, S., Fisher, R., Leal, S., Milne, B. & Bull, R. (2008) Increasing cognitive load to facilitate lie detection: The benefit of recalling an event in reverse order. Law and Human Behavior 32: 253–65.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vrij, A., Mann, S., Leal, S. & Fisher, R. (2010) “Look Into My Eyes”: Can an instruction to maintain eye contact facilitate lie detection? Psychology, Crime, & Law 16:327–48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar