• On Good Things Utah this morning – When telling the truth feels inconvenient, many people resort to less honest communication. They steer conversations away from certain topics, withhold key details, or sometimes they just flat-out lie. As psychologists and professors of psychology, we wanted to look into the habits of proficient liars. While writing our book “Big Liars: What Psychological Science Tells Us About Lying and How You Can Avoid Being Duped,” we singled out some of the most common hidden traits and characteristics of especially successful liars.
    • They are natural manipulators.
      Good liars aren’t nervous about manipulating others; rather, they are confident, dominant and relaxed as they exploit others.
    • They’re great actors.
      Lying, like other forms of impression management, is a game of projecting a specific version of oneself into the world. Good liars take the stage and play the role of an honest person.
    • They are adept at feigning emotions.
      Whether expressing happiness, surprise, sadness or contempt, good liars can wrinkle their brows, raise their eyebrows, or bare their teeth in convincing ways that belie their true emotions. Researchers have found that expressive people are viewed as likable, sympathetic, and honest.
    • They are prepared for the lie.
      They rehearse and they plan. A well-prepared and organized narrative makes a lie seem natural and free from contradictions.
    • They say as little as is necessary.
      The more a person speaks, the more they offer details that might undermine the lie. Effective liars say enough to be believed, but no more. Tune in for more traits as we discuss this Hot Topic and so much more this morning on GTU!