
Psychology In Seattle Podcast The Psychology of Lying (2021 Rerun)
Jan 6, 2026
Join an intriguing dive into the psychology behind lying! Discover why we lie more in writing, and explore the myths around body language as indicators of deceit. From tax cheating to everyday white lies, the hosts dissect common fibs and their justifications. Learn about the surprising effects of beards on trust, and how peer influence can escalate dishonesty. Plus, hear personal anecdotes about accidental lies and the ethics of social decorum. It’s a compelling mix of research, humor, and personal insight into a universal human behavior.
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Hosts Debunk Viral Lie-Detection Myths
- Humberto Castaneda and Kirk Honda play a rapid guessing game of lying myths to introduce research findings.
- The hosts debunk common beliefs like eye-direction tells and other viral lie-detection tips.
Body Language Tells Are Mostly Pseudoscience
- Popular body-language claims about liars are pseudoscience and lack reliable empirical support.
- Kirk Honda warns that eye-movement and other viral tells are not valid lie detectors.
Lies Shrink Language And Beat Detection
- People generally use fewer, more tentative words when lying because lying takes cognitive effort.
- Experiments show humans are barely better than chance at detecting lies in lab settings.



