Lecture Notes: Understanding Lying and Deception

Introduction to Lying

• Speaker: Petra Petrovic
• Main Idea: Everyone lies; the lecture explores why we lie, how to spot lies, and how to build trust.
• Goal: Teach not just lie spotting, but truth seeking and trust building.

The Nature of Lying

• General Statement: Lying is a cooperative act; it only works if someone believes it.
• Truth #1: Lying is cooperative; you are complicit if you believe a lie.
• Not All Lies Are Harmful: Sometimes used for social dignity or secrecy.
• Serious Consequences of Lying:
  • Corporate fraud costs billions.
  • Can undermine democracy and security.
  • Example: Henry Oberlander, a con man who posed a threat to banking.

Why Do We Lie?

• Filling Gaps: Lying bridges the gap between who we are and who we want to be.
• Frequency: We are lied to 10-200 times daily.
• Types of Lies:
  • White lies (e.g., to strangers).
  • Men lie about themselves more.
  • Women lie to protect others.
  • Varied depending on relationships.

Social Acceptance of Lying

• Truth #2: Society is ambivalent; lying is woven into life.
• Lying in Culture: Present in literature, religion, and history.
• Evolutionary Aspect: More intelligent species lie more often.

Learning to Lie

• Early Development:
  • Babies fake cries.
  • Children learn concealment and manipulation.

Deception in Modern Society

• Deception Epidemic:
  • Spam, fake identities, media bias.
  • Living in a post-truth society.

Spotting Lies

• Trained Lie Spotters:
  • 90% accuracy versus 54% for untrained.
  • Patterns and hot spots in speech and body language.

Speech Patterns

• Non-contracted Denials: Formal language indicates overdetermined denial.
• Distancing Language: Use of "that woman" shows distancing.
• Qualifying Language: Discredits subject.

Body Language

• Common Misconceptions:
  • Liars may freeze rather than fidget.
  • Eye contact can be too much.
  • Real smiles involve eyes (crow's feet).

Indicators of Deception

• Attitude: Honest people are cooperative and engaged.
• Storytelling: Deceptive people give too much detail, stick to chronology.
• Gestures and Expressions:
  • "Duping delight" - smile while lying.
  • Contempt is dangerous and hard to recover from.

Analyzing Conversations

• Look for Clusters: Multiple indicators suggest deception.
• Approach with Curiosity: Ask questions, maintain rapport.

Identifying Truth

• Example Videos:
  • Diane Downs (deceptive) vs. Erin Runyon (truthful).

Technology and Deception Detection

• Future Tech: Eye trackers, brain scans, MRIs.
• Current Best Practice: Human tools and character assessment.

Conclusion

• Moral Code: Be explicit about honesty in a noisy world.
• Final Message: Strengthen truth, recognize falsehood; create an honest environment.

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• End Note: The emphasis is on moving from lie detection to fostering truth and trust.