An interesting study on pathological lying published in the October 2005 British Journal of Psychiatry suggest that the pathological liar may have a slightly different brain than those people disposed to tell the truth. In the prefrontal cortex of the brain, pathological liars were shown to have 26% more white matter than do people with other psychological disorders who don’t lie. Previously, white matter has been linked to ability to lie. Lower amounts of white matter is typical in the brains of people with autism, who generally cannot lie, suggesting that more white matter disposes one to the increased ability to lie.
Source: WiseGeek www.wisegeek.com...

Specifically, liars had a 25.7 percent increase in prefrontal white matter compared to the antisocial controls and a 22 percent increase compared to the normal controls. Liars had a 14.2 percent decrease in prefrontal gray matter compared to normal controls.

More white matter – the wiring in the brain – may provide liars with the tools necessary to master the complex art of deceit, Raine said.

"Lying takes a lot of effort," he said.

"It's almost mind reading. You have to be able to understand the mindset of the other person. You also have to suppress your emotions or regulate them because you don't want to appear nervous. There's quite a lot to do there. You've got to suppress the truth.”Source: Charles Montaldo, crime.about.com...

From research in child development we know that children tend to become much more credible liars when they are about 10. Before that, they generally are not believable. This 10-year mark coincides with noted development of white matter in the prefrontal cortex. More white matter may simply mean more lying, and too much white matter might translate to pathological lying.

Unfortunately,this study does little to address how these new findings could affect treatment. In fact, it specifically states that this research hasn’t led to any new ideas for treatment. Like the autistic, who suffers from too little white matter in the prefrontal cortex, pathological liars may not be able to have their condition resolved if the basis for their condition is a result of brain structure.

Many people who exhibit pathological lying also clearly exhibit symptoms of other treatable conditions. Conditions like ADHD and OCD are treatable through medication, though different ones. This makes accurately diagnosing underlying conditions important. The last thing one would want to give a person with OCD is a stimulant like Ritalin, which would likely exacerbate their disorder.

Personality disorders that contribute to pathological lying may also respond to a combined treatment of psychiatric medication and cognitive behavioral therapy. The goal with pathological lying must in the end be to treat any evidence of illness or conditions that may influence the lying. This may include medications and the use of behavioral therapy to help the person overcome compulsive lying.

Therapy and medication require compliance from the person being treated, and the pathological liar who has antisocial disorders may not wish to be treated. A person who suffers from pathological lying must on some deep level be committed to the work required in cognitive behavioral therapy, as well as be willing to take medications. The trouble with these methods is that pathological liars can quite easily lie about taking their medications, or about their effectiveness of medications. They can also quite credibly lie about what is happening in their life, which may void the efficacy of therapy

Source: WiseGeek www.wisegeek.com...

Pathological Liars typically lie to get their way, without regard as to how it effects others. It may be associated with some personality disorders such as Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Histrionic Personality Disorder, Borderline PD, or Antisocial PD. The underlying causes of those disorders would need to be addressed to solve the issue of pathological lying, and it is well known that the personality disorders are not easily repaired.
We will view the various liars, then, as having a “disturbance of character”.




[edit on 8/21/2010 by ladyinwaiting]

Unfortunately,this study does little to address how these new findings could affect treatment. In fact, it specifically states that this research hasn’t led to any new ideas for treatment. Like the autistic, who suffers from too little white matter in the prefrontal cortex, (this is why we sometimes hear that autistics "can't lie") pathological liars may not be able to have their condition resolved if the basis for their condition is a result of brain structure.

Many people who exhibit pathological lying also clearly exhibit symptoms of other treatable conditions. Conditions like ADHD and OCD are treatable through medication, though different ones. This makes accurately diagnosing underlying conditions important. The last thing one would want to give a person with OCD is a stimulant like Ritalin, which would likely exacerbate their disorder.

Personality disorders that contribute to pathological lying may also respond to a combined treatment of psychiatric medication and cognitive behavioral therapy. The goal with pathological lying must in the end be to treat any evidence of illness or conditions that may influence the lying. This may include medications and the use of behavioral therapy to help the person overcome compulsive lying.

Therapy and medication require compliance from the person being treated, and the pathological liar who has antisocial disorders may not wish to be treated. A person who suffers from pathological lying must on some deep level be committed to the work required in cognitive behavioral therapy, as well as be willing to take medications. The trouble with these methods is that pathological liars can quite easily lie about taking their medications, or about their effectiveness of medications. They can also quite credibly lie about what is happening in their life, which may void the efficacy of therapy

Source: WiseGeek www.wisegeek.com...

Pathological Liars typically lie to get their way, without regard as to how it effects others. It may be associated with some personality disorders such as Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Histrionic Personality Disorder, Borderline PD, or Antisocial PD. The underlying causes of those disorders would need to be addressed to solve the issue of pathological lying, and it is well known that the personality disorders are not easily repaired.
We will view the various liars, then, as having a “disturbance of character”.





[edit on 8/21/2010 by ladyinwaiting]

Alright. First off I want to thank Lady for giving me the opportunity to help her in this research collaboration. My first goal, How to spot a pathological liar, will allow us to exam not only our friends, but ourselves.

All of us have told a lie sometime in our lives, but the majority of people would consider themselves not to be a pathological liar. Lying is a very strange tactic used as deception. Sometimes it is for the good and sometimes it can be bad. But that is all in the persons perception of things. But one thing is for a fact, no one likes to be lied to. It is entirely different for ourselves to tell a lie, but when someone tells us a lie. WHOA! That is the ultimate sin... Of course, when we are lied to our brains are constantly processing motion and when that person who is telling us a lie does something out of there character, such as biting there nails or smiling on the right side of there face that strange gesture is registered and we begin to wonder why is he/she doing that? Most of the time we brush it off as nothing and forget that ever happened. However, that little gesture could have pointed to deception.

Spotting a pathological liar out of the blue is nearly impossible, because we are not able to study there 'normal' behavior. Let us take for instance a friend, which we have known for some time. So how can we tell if someone is lying if there noses are not growing?

Is it possible to see a lie? Sometimes, detecting deception is clear not by listening to what people say, but watching what they do. Look out for "clusters" of body language commonly associated with dishonesty. Here are eight easily-spotted signals to look out for.

Adjusting hair, clothing or make up not only keep a nervous person's hands busy, but they effectively buy time to come up with a lie. These gestures can also be a way to avoid eye contact. If you are asking someone a direct question and she is more interested in fixing her hair than looking you in the eye, take note.

Experts say the subconscious might be responsible for this particular tick. The mind is attempting to physically stop a lie before it leaves the lips. Touching the area around the eyes is also an indication that a person is not comfortable with what she's seeing or doing.

Once again, biting or drawing in the lips can be a last-ditch effort to stop a lie from escaping.

Eyelids can be considered "barriers" between a liar and her audience, so a quickened blink rate should be noted. (The average blink rate is about 10 blinks per minute.) Conversely, some people--particularly those going for the wide-eyed innocent look--try to camouflage a lie with prolonged eye contact.

Looking to the left has been linked with the part of the brain that creates images or memories, rather than recalls events or memories. During conversation, this should be considered a sign of fabrication, as it indicates that the words being spoken may be imagined or created rather than a statement of truth.

Experts say one way to judge whether or not a smile is genuine is to look at a person's whole face. A real smile uses many muscle groups, including muscles around the jaw, cheek and eyes ("crow's feet") while a fake, or polite smile, uses the mouth alone and is less likely to expose the teeth. A disingenuous smile can be an indication of discomfort or inauthenticity.

Fidgeting--rearranging objects on a desk or playing with a PDA, for example--can be a sign of nervous energy, but a liar will often move objects in the room (chairs, coffee mug, picture frames) and place them between herself and her audience. Experts say the barrier is subconsciously put in place to create physical distance between the liar and her audience.

Watch for signs that a speaker is uncomfortable or guarded, particularly if their posture is normally strong and confident. Experts say that slouching or looking down may be an instinctual defense against any accusations or opposition. Additionally, an abnormally stiff upper carriage creates tension and shows discomfort.

Turns out we were wrong. At least half the time. A landmark study by Paul Ekman, Ph.D., a pioneer in the study of lying and author of What the Face Reveals and Why Kids Lie, shows that, despite what we think we know, most people are only 50% successful at "catching" a liar. Ekman, who acts as a consultant on the FOX show Lie To Me, says that while we are much worse at detecting lies than we would like to admit, there are certain physical tics that give clues of trustworthiness or deception that can be seen by the trained eye.

PL has been referred to as a "wish psychosis”. Furthermore, PL has also been described as impulsive and unplanned. These observations have raised doubts about the pathological liar's ability to fully control his or her lying behavior. The relative purposelessness of the lies, including the intangible benefits of false accusations or self-incrimination, and the repetitive nature of the lies, despite negative consequences to the liar's reputation and livelihood, further encourage doubts about the liar's ability to control his behavior. On the other hand, it has been observed that vigorously and persistently challenging pathological liars may lead pathological liars to partially acknowledge their lies, an observation that suggests the presence of logical thinking. Such a presentation is consistent with a view of PL as a fantasy lie, a daydream communicated as reality, told solely for the liar's pleasure.

Although the fantasy lies may help the pathological liar escape from stressful life situations, or compensate for developmental traumas, there is evidence that individuals with PL show normal "guilty responses" when lying during a lie-detection test. It is perhaps an attempt at guilt reduction that motivates pathological liars to believe their lies, thereby creating a strange form of double bind.

Take a quick survey and see how your lying compares with others--ource: www.psychiatrictimes.com...

Using Jews as the scapegoat, Hitler and his cronies orchestrated what they called "the big lie." This theory states that no matter how big the lie is (or more precisely, because it's so big), people will believe it if you repeat it enough. Everyone tells small lies, Hitler reasoned, but few have the guts to tell colossal lies. Because a big lie is so unlikely, people will come to accept it.

In 1938, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain met with the German chancellor in a last-ditch diplomatic effort to quell impending war. Adolf Hitler assured Chamberlain that war would be avoided if Czechoslovakia would negotiate a redrawing of its borders. Chamberlain was satisfied and told Parliament that Hitler "means what he says." Needless to say, Hitler didn't. Why it's significant: This is, unequivocally, one of mankind's most devastating deceptions. It enabled the start of World War II and led to the death of millions. Hitler is an example of a natural performer, Paul Ekman writes in his book "Telling Lies." He was able to engage in deceit without the yoke of remorse.

When archaeologist Charles Dawson unearthed what he thought was a missing link in 1910, what he really found was one of the biggest hoaxes in history.

The discovery was the Piltdown man, pieces of a skull and jaw with molars located in the Piltdown quarry in Sussex, England. Dawson brought his discovery to prominent paleontologist Arthur Smith Woodward, who touted its authenticity to his dying day.

Although the discovery gained world renown, the lie behind Piltdown man slowly and steadily unraveled. In the ensuing decades, other major discoveries suggested Piltdown man didn’t fit in the story of human evolution. By the 1950s, tests revealed that the skull was only 600 years old and the jaw came from an orangutan. Some knowledgeable person apparently manipulated these pieces, including filing down and staining the teeth.

The scientific world had been duped. So who was behind the fraud? Many suspects have surfaced, including Dawson himself. Today, most signs point to Martin A. C. Hinton, a museum volunteer at the time of the discovery. A trunk was found bearing his initials contained bones that were stained in exactly the same way to the Piltdown fossils. It is suggested that he was out to embarrass his boss, Arthur Smith Woodward, who refused to give him a weekly salary.

Sometimes big lies are justified. During a January 1980 press conference, Jimmy Carter said he wouldn't consider taking military action to recapture the hostages at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. At that very moment, the military was preparing for just such action. In that case, and despite the outcome, deceit was necessary to preserve the integrity of the mission. In wartime, truth is so precious that she must often be attended by a bodyguard of lies, as Winston Churchill reportedly said.

And where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission. How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror.I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldn't be? War, terror, disease. There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense. Fear got the best of you, and in your panic you turned to the now high chancellor, Adam Sutler. He promised you order, he promised you peace, and all he demanded in return was your silent, obedient consent. Last night I sought to end that silence. Last night I destroyed the Old Bailey, to remind this country of what it has forgotten. More than four hundred years ago a great citizen wished to embed the fifth of November forever in our memory. His hope was to remind the world that fairness, justice, and freedom are more than words, they are perspectives. So if you've seen nothing, if the crimes of this government remain unknown to you then I would suggest you allow the fifth of November to pass unmarked. But if you see what I see, if you feel as I feel, and if you would seek as I seek, then I ask you to stand beside me one year from tonight, outside the gates of Parliament, and together we shall give them a fifth of November that shall never, ever be forgot.

In order to be considered true calumny, several conditions must be met. Malice is important, as is knowledge of the fact that the statement is false. If someone repeats a false statement from someone else, or genuinely believes a statement to be true, this is not calumny. The statement must be made with injurious intent, and it must be demonstrated that the intent is not opinion or comment. Very fine lines can be drawn here and are repeatedly pushed in trial proceedings involving charges of calumny.

Under the law, such actions may be treated as a civil wrong or tort, but they can also be treated as a criminal offense under some laws and in some regions. In cases where it is a civil wrong, the person being defamed has the right to take the person making false statements to court to recover damages.

In addition to paying damages, the person engaging in vilification may also be ordered to make other reparations, such as retracting the statement. Criminal wrongs can result in jail time.

Sometimes, the line between true calumny and protected, albeit impolite, speech is very thin. In several regions of the world, there are concerns that defamation laws are sometimes used for a chilling effect, with the goal of silencing people, rather than providing people with a legitimate way to right a wrong.

Powerful companies and individuals may attempt to abuse defamation laws in order to quiet dissent, and courts must tread carefully when weighing the evidence to ensure that they do not inadvertently apply the law incorrectly.