Podcast Summary
Understanding Pathological Liars: Pathological liars tell excessive lies, impairing their functioning and posing risks. Motivations include attention and financial gain. Researchers suggest further investigation.
While most people lie occasionally, pathological liars tell an excessive amount of lies that impair their functioning and can pose risks. Their motivations may differ, with a focus on seeking attention and sometimes financial gain. The frequency and substance of their lies can significantly impact their lives and those around them. Researchers like Doctors Drew Curtis and Christian Hart, who have studied pathological lying extensively, suggest that it may be a clinical population deserving of further investigation. Their upcoming book, "Big Liars," aims to help people recognize and protect themselves from prolific liars. The line between occasional liars and pathological liars lies not only in the frequency but also in the impact on daily life and potential harm caused.
Researchers Advocate for Recognition of Pathological Lying as a Mental Health Diagnosis: Researchers propose including pathological lying in the DSM for insurance coverage, research, and labeling purposes, potentially benefiting 8-13% of the population.
Pathological lying, although not currently recognized as a mental health diagnosis, is a well-documented phenomenon with a long history in clinical psychiatry and psychology. Researchers like Dr. Hart and Dr. Newport have advocated for its inclusion in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) due to its impact on individuals' lives and the potential benefits of formal recognition and treatment. Their research suggests that around 8-13% of the population may struggle with pathological lying, although this number may be an underestimate as research has primarily focused on specific populations. The inclusion of pathological lying as a diagnostic entity would enable insurance coverage for treatment, encourage research into effective treatments, and provide a label for individuals seeking help. Despite the challenges involved in gaining recognition, the researchers remain optimistic due to the demonstrated need for formal diagnosis and treatment.
Types and Predictors of Pathological Lying: Gender doesn't significantly impact lying frequency, but women tend to lie in relational contexts and men for self-serving reasons. Age is the strongest predictor, peaking in late adolescence. Personality traits and opportunities in certain professions also contribute.
The rate of pathological lying is estimated to be around 5% or less, but without a formal diagnosis, accurate data is limited. Gender does not significantly impact the frequency of lying, but the types of lies told differ between men and women. Women tend to lie in relational contexts, while men lie for self-serving reasons. Age is the strongest predictor of lying, with frequency peaking in late adolescence. Personality traits, such as low agreeableness, high neuroticism, and low self-esteem, also increase the likelihood of lying. Lying begins around age 3, but pathological lying typically starts in adolescence. Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that certain professions, like politics or sales, have higher rates of pathological liars. Instead, people in these fields may have more opportunities to lie due to job requirements. Politicians who lie more are more likely to be reelected.
People can be pushed to lie in politics, and some become pathological liars: Pathological liars, who intentionally lie, feel relief initially but later experience guilt and are likely to lie in various aspects of their lives
Politics can push individuals to conceal the truth and lie, even if they are aware of it. Pathological liars, who intentionally lie, may experience relief in the moment but later feel remorse and guilt. These individuals are also more likely to be dishonest in other areas of their lives, as research shows strong correlations between different types of dishonesty. While more research is needed on pathological liars specifically, the evidence suggests that they tend to lie across domains. However, some people may be deceptive in specific niches, such as at work, while being honest with their families. It's important to note that lying is an intentional act, and distinguishing it from delusion or psychosis is crucial.
Pathological lying vs. Antisocial Personality Disorder: Pathological lying is distinct from antisocial personality disorder, but both involve deceitful behavior. Pathological liars experience distress and dysfunction, while antisocial individuals manipulate with disregard. Effective treatments exist for pathological lying, including cognitive-behavioral therapy.
While some individuals may exhibit pathological lying in specific areas of their lives, it's essential to distinguish this behavior from antisocial personality disorder or other recognized diagnoses. Pathological lying, as characterized in the book, refers to individuals who prolifically lie and experience distress and dysfunction in their lives. However, fraudsters and scammers, who manipulate and take advantage of others with a callous disregard and lack of remorse, are more likely to be diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. There is ongoing debate among clinicians about whether pathological lying is a separate disorder or a symptom of another condition. While some argue that it's a symptom of antisocial personality disorder, others suggest it should be considered as a diagnostic entity under factitious disorder or pseudologia fantastica. Effective treatments for pathological lying exist, and therapy can help individuals who are motivated to change their behavior. Therapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, and family therapy have shown promise in addressing the underlying causes of pathological lying and helping individuals learn more truthful ways to communicate.
Understanding Pathological Lying through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Cognitive behavioral therapy can help individuals recognize their lying patterns, understand the situations that trigger lies, and reinforce honesty. Therapists should respond with compassion and understanding to build trust.
While there is no formal diagnosis or research-based treatment for pathological lying, cognitive behavioral therapy is believed to be effective in helping individuals become aware of their lying patterns and reinforcing honesty. This involves recognizing situations where lying is more likely to occur, such as in relationships, and becoming aware of the function of the lies. Therapists should also be aware that pathological liars are not lying all the time about everything and should avoid taking lies personally. Instead, they should try to understand the reason behind the lie and respond with compassion and understanding to build trust.
Understanding Pathological Lying: Empathize with persistent liars, rely on factual inconsistencies, third-party info, or confessions to detect lies, and be aware of incentives and reputation to avoid deception.
Understanding pathological lying requires empathy and recognition that those who lie persistently seek help. Group therapy can be effective in addressing this issue, as peers can call out lies instead of the therapist. However, detecting pathological liars is challenging as people are generally poor lie detectors. Our truth default assumption makes us assume people are honest, and we tend to miss nonverbal cues. Instead, we should rely on factual inconsistencies, third-party information, or confessions to identify lies. Being aware of a person's incentives to lie and their reputation can also help us avoid being deceived. An example of a known pathological liar is George Santos, who made unbelievable claims and presented inconsistent information.
Understanding the causes and motivations behind frequent or consequential lies: The authors aim to investigate the etiology of pathological lying, motivators behind excessive lying, and develop an instrument to assess pathological lying more accurately.
When evaluating the trustworthiness of individuals, it's essential to look for consistency in their information, reputational status, and coherence. The authors of the upcoming book on lying are focusing on people who exhibit frequent or consequential lies, rather than just pathological liars. They aim to understand the causes and motivations behind these lies, and how they impact individuals and society. Their current research includes investigating the etiology of pathological lying, the motivators behind excessive lying, and developing an instrument to assess pathological lying more accurately.
Understanding the Role of Lies and Deception in Human Behavior: Learning about pathological lying, reasons why people lie, and underlying psychological factors from authors of 'Big Liars' in this episode of Speaking of Psychology.
Learning from this episode of Speaking of Psychology is the importance of understanding the role of lies and deception in human behavior. The guests, authors of the book "Big Liars," discussed their research on pathological lying and the various reasons why people lie. They emphasized that while some lying is normal and even necessary in social situations, pathological lying can cause significant harm to individuals and relationships. The guests also shared insights into the underlying psychological factors that contribute to pathological lying, such as trauma, mental health conditions, and personality traits. The conversation was enlightening and provided valuable information for understanding the complex issue of lying and its impact on our lives. You can pre-order their upcoming book "Big Liars" on the APA website, or check out their current book "Pathological Line Theory, Research and Practice" also available on the APA website. Don't forget to leave a review if you enjoyed the podcast and have ideas for future episodes, email us at speakingofpsychology@apa.org. Speaking of Psychology is produced by Lee Winerman, and our sound editor is Chris Kundian. Thank you for tuning in.
