Some people have personality traits that may make them more inclined to manipulate or lie.
These include psychopathy, narcissism, Machiavellianism, and sadism.
Social psychologist Leanne ten Brinke from the University of British Columbia has spent several years researching these traits.
She studies how they influence people’s behavior in social relationships, according to Business Insider.
The purpose is not to diagnose people in everyday life. Instead, the research focuses on understanding patterns of behavior and becoming better at dealing with manipulation or dishonesty.
Myths about lies
Many people believe that you can spot a liar by watching their body language - for example, if someone avoids eye contact or seems nervous.
However, these signs are not very reliable. Studies have shown that people who are telling the truth and those who are lying often behave very similarly when it comes to eye contact.
For that reason, it is easy to make mistakes if you rely only on body language. Instead, it is more useful to listen carefully to what the person is actually saying.
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A simple question
An important difference between liars and people who are telling the truth is often found in their answers.
People who are telling the truth usually find it easier to provide detailed explanations.
That is why open-ended questions can be useful. Questions that require an explanation rather than a short yes-or-no answer make it harder to maintain a lie.
Unexpected questions can also make it more difficult to invent a story. If a person is not prepared, it can be challenging to give a clear and detailed response.
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For that reason, research points to a simple method. By quickly asking open-ended and unexpected questions, it is often possible to assess whether a person struggles to provide coherent answers.
This may be a sign that the person is not telling the truth.
Sources: Business Insider.
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