THE PSYCHOLOGY OF LYING

Remember that a lying person fears detection and possible ostracism of the
offended community. He feels once detected, he could not but accept the bitter results of
being penalized, thus placing his life at stake. Since fear reaction carries emotional
responses due to detection, he may now exhibit external and internal physical and
psychological changes within him, such that these changes occur beyond his defensive
power to control or repress them. These changes, on the other hand are recorded by the
polygraph instrument and diagnosed by the examiner. But what is always driving a person
to lie? What is behind all these?

The psychology of lying person. A person’s fear, anxieties and apprehensions are
channeled toward the situations which evoke his instinct of self-presentation to struggle out
from the consequences of the wrong of he had already done. He may, once and for all, “grid
the axe” of his self-defense mechanism come what may through lies, alibis, and excuses.
His conscience is bothered so much how to hide everything beyond the capability of all his
senses, and his power and emotions are perplexed and varied. In polygraphy, the
psychological approaches to all these lies or similar situations are governing by different
types of test and control questions prepared and formulated by the examiner. The test
contains relevant questions which are designed to pose a threat to the security of the guilty
(or lying) subject. The equally truthful subject, though accused, is assured of the reaction he
may exhibit during the whole polygraph examination by the carefully formulated questions.

Other factors psychologically taken onto consideration are subject’s basis

emotionally and intensity of the offense. Normally, the innocent is subject’s reaction
potential is lower than that of the guilty subject. This is registered by temporary heightening
of his emotional state when the examination began. Then such reaction decreases as the
test itself progresses.

In understanding more, the psychology of lying, we have included the different kinds
of lies.