The Nature of Deception

An exploration of truth and dishonesty

Christian L. Hart Ph.D.

Have You Ever Met a Pathological Liar?

If pathological liars have disrupted your life, you are not alone.

How to Regain Trust

If we lose someone's trust, a few steps can help us regain their confidence.

Why Pathological Liars Keep Lying

Have you ever wondered why pathological liars are so dishonest all of the time? It turns out that they may be motivated to lie for the same reasons that we all lie—just more so.

A Theory of Lying and Dishonesty

A simple theory explains why people are dishonest, when they are likely to be dishonest, and who is likely to be the biggest liar in your life.

Why Are We So Honest?

Trust and cooperation were necessary for our ancestors' survival. Have we inherited their tendency to be honest?

The Evolution of Honesty

Evolutionary perspectives suggest humans may have evolved to resist dishonesty.

The Only Way to Really Detect When Someone Is Lying

When supposed experts promise to teach you the best way to detect liars, they typically and ironically offer advice that will make you an ineffective lie detector.

What Is a White Lie?

Most people believe the lies they tell are just tiny, white lies. But are those really white lies?

How Racism May Influence Judgments of Honesty

Racism may influence how we decide who to trust, but our fear of appearing prejudiced can cause us to make mistakes in those judgments.

Are You a Cheater or Are You a Liar?

Some people are liars, some people are cheaters, and some go all-in to be radically dishonest.

G. Stanley Hall

What Is Pathological Lying?

A few people among us lie a lot. How do we differentiate typical dishonesty from pathological lying?

How Much Lying Is Too Much?

Most people are a little dishonest sometimes, but how much lying is too much?

Is President Trump an "Outliar"?

Outlier analyses allow us to see if he lies as much as the rest of us.

Should You Lie to Your Romantic Partner?

Is complete honesty really what people want in their love lives? Research finds that most people expect and even demand that their lovers lie to them.

Is Empathy the Key to Deception?

Empathy is a powerful psychological trait that allows us to be understanding and caring toward others, but it can be used by others to deceive us.

Do Lie Detector Tests Really Work?

The modern polygraph test is widely used to detect liars, but is it accurate?

Should You Lie to Kids About Santa?

Is it harmful to convince children that Santa Claus is real, or should we be honest about where those presents come from?

Incorrect Beliefs About Liars

Can you detect a liar? Probably not, if you believe these myths about lying.

Some Lie a Lot

Most people are fairly honest. Those who tell a disproportionate amount of lies seem to share some characteristics.

Lies in the Workplace

Lies, deception, and secrecy can bring organizations crumbling down, and honesty can help them thrive.

Why Is My Child Lying?

All children eventually learn to lie, but the socialization they are exposed to at home and at school appears to influence the degree to which they try to deceive others.

Is It Always Wrong to Lie?

What are the exceptions to the rule that lying is wrong?

What Is a Lie?

Before you attempt to spot liars, are you sure that you know what lying is?