What Factors Increase the Probability of Lying?
The statistics on lying and cheating are alarming. It is little wonder that clients ask – how can I tell if employees and customer are lying or cheating? They are hoping that cognitive design offers additional insights beyond cross-referencing questions, checking sources and the like. So I am always on the lookout for new scientific insights into the psychology of lying, faking and cheating.
Take for example, a recent LiveScience report on research that suggests we tend to lie when under time pressure or when we feel personally justified in doing do. When pressed for time we often look out for our own interests first and lying can serve that. Examples of personal justifications include – it won’t hurt anyone to lie, everyone is lying or I can’t get caught!
These are practical findings. Be sure to give people the time to do the right thing and work to surface and eliminate justifications that support lying.
