Can You Detect A Liar?

Have you ever had difficulty understanding someone or interpreting the motivation for their behaviour? If so, you are not alone. History is riddled with examples of people thinking they had superior intelligence and communication skills, and knew people’s intentions because they had met them.

The Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortes, thought Montezuma was surrendering to him, as conveyed via multiple layers of translators and confusion with cultural context. For example, royal “false humility” often uses polite language to a visitor eg “offering everything”.

Most people cannot detect a liar any better by meeting them

Chamberlain failed to detect in face to face meetings that Hitler was lying and had wider intentions, and indeed imminent plans and preparation well underway to invade neighboring countries.

We think information gained from a personal interaction is uniquely valuable

We intuitively think that meeting someone face to face will allow us to gauge their motivations and intentions more accurately. However, studies show we can be more accurate about personal intentions if we focus on factual data, confirmed reports, and history of behaviour.

One study had people auditioning for an orchestra or a singing role behind a curtain so the selectors could not apply unconscious biases to appearance or mannerisms that had no impact on their singing or instrument playing.

The CIA didn’t detect a spy and liar within their organisation for many years

Another case dating back to the 1960s where a Cuban spy operated at a high-level in the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) for many years without detection despite regular security checks and even passing numerous lie-detector tests.

Skilled CIA counter-intelligence specialists were all fooled and did not spot any of the many clues. He was a lazy drunk with a fascination with Cuba and in hind-sight left obvious warning flags eg the spy chose holidays and study tours in Cuba. The Cuban spy was even presented with awards from both Fidel Castro and the US Government.

So, if the CIA specialists can be so easily fooled what chance do we have selecting good staff or judging people we choose to do business with?

Part of the answer lies in the fact that we (normal people) default to the belief that strangers are telling the truth unless you have overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Little inconsistencies are not enough to shake most people.

We Default to Believing it is True

The reason for this is it would be exhausting to test every bit of information from everyone you speak to, and you would be tedious and unpopular to be with eg those with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or classic auditors.

Studies show that less than 1% of statements and information we receive are false. So, making the assumption that what you are told is correct is both efficient and correct the vast majority of the time.

99% of statements are true, so easier to accept

This partly explains why Ponzi schemes keep popping up and work for extended periods of time, even with highly skilled financial institutions and government authorities scrutinizing transactions and tracking the flow of cash.

They know there are some inconsistencies or gaps, but rationalise them away because we default to assuming they are good people eg there is probably an honest explanation, I just don’t know what it is.

We often have doubts about what we are told but we continue to believe people until we have compelling evidence to shake our natural assumption of truth.

We continue to believe until overwhelming evidence arises, or crash

Really skeptical people are rare eg cynics & OCD people, but we would waste more time always doubting every bit of information. Unfortunately, most people socially adapt to accept minor inconsistencies in stories or reports until catastrophic failures occur eg collapse of Ponzi scheme or company declaring bankruptcy with no warning.

We really need those OCD auditors

Even expression on faces is cultural eg smiling or not smiling, yet we may falsely assume something from this eg if a stranger doesn’t smile, as we don’t know their culture.

If you would like to know more about effective communication or for a quote to conduct a safety culture and leadership session for your team or conduct safety climate survey call us on 03 8544 4300 or email.

Article loosely based on Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell (2020), also author of Tipping Point