Deceivers’ responses to challenges of their truthfulness: Difference between familiar lies and unfamiliar lies

This study considers whether a lie's cognitive representation effects deceivers’ ability to respond to probing. A total of 94 participants told either a familiar lie or an unfamiliar lie, which a confederate then challenged. Lies and responses to the probe were examined for changes in onset latencies, unfilled pauses, eye gaze and smiling. Results show that the behavioral changes deceivers made in response to probing varied depending on whether the lie was a familiar lie or a unfamiliar lie. Persons telling unfamiliar lies displayed significantly shorter unfilled pauses, less eye gaze and less smiling/laughter when telling the lie than they did when responding to the probe. In contrast, when responding to the probe, persons telling familiar lies displayed significantly shorter onset latencies and less eye gaze than they did when telling the lie. However, none of these behaviors were related to judge's rating of truthfulness, suggesting that while deceivers may make behavioral changes they believe to be strategic, observers do not necessarily attend to these modifications.

Key concepts:

• deception
• cognition
• white lies
• routines