Effective liars use certain techniques, and knowing their secrets will help you spot one in your life.
- Don’t overdo it.
“Prisons are full of bad liars,” says Charles Ford, psychologist and author of Lies! He lies ! He lies! “The good liars are still at large.”
But what are the differences between a good and a bad liar? Effective liars never go far. Since they do not want to be caught, they serve the lies in small portions, leaving the main course for the most important moment.
- They think through their lies in advance.
In 1990, psychologist Bill Flanagan found that liars who thought out the details of their stories in advance had greater success in convincing their interlocutors than those who did not. According to psychologist Dr. Cynthia Cohen, “It’s easier to spot someone lying when it’s the first time they’ve lied.” - They present the truth as if it were a lie.
This is a technique that allows an effective liar to confuse the person he is talking to. Thus, the liar confirms the accusations against them, but with a smile and sarcasm so that the serious accusation seems like a joke, trying to make the person who made the question seem ridiculous. The purpose of this technique is to avoid further questions.
In 1990, a study of pathological liars in New York showed that those who were able to avoid more questions were more successful at deceiving them.
- They know the victim of their lies.
An effective liar must be a good psychologist. Most people are skeptical by nature and do not easily believe anything they hear. In order to lie effectively, a liar uses an individual approach to each person he meets. They study the habits, psychological traits, personal experiences, and weaknesses of people who lie to them. - They follow up on all the facts related to their lies.
“One of the problems with effective lying is that it’s hard work,” says psychologist Michael Lewis. “You have to be very consistent in your actions. Just as the pieces of a puzzle form a picture, a big lie consists of successive steps. Taking notes on all the facts of your lies to others can be very helpful. As Marcus Fabius Quintilianus said: ‘A liar must have a good memory.’
When a liar plays games of deception with different people, it means that he must keep in mind the possibility that these people may exchange information among themselves. Eventually, people can piece together the information coming from the liar and find conflicting details, which will lead to the lies being exposed.
- They are consistent in what they say.
People often become bad liars because they feel fear or guilt when it comes to details they don’t like. Remember, fear and guilt are evident in your voice, gestures, and facial expressions. Bad liars usually try to stop unpleasant conversations, which inevitably leads to their lies being exposed. Effective liars enjoy the process of lying, and it is a game for them. The best liars do not show shame or remorse because they do not feel it. - They know how to distract others
The best liars are natural manipulators. Such an example of manipulation is the movie Basic Instinct where the protagonist played by Sharon Stone skillfully distracts investigators using sexual and emotional arousal.
