As the final of BBC One's The Traitors airs, a show where contestants must expose liars to win a cash prize, psychologist and magician Prof Richard Wiseman has shared his insights on what makes a good liar. Wiseman, a professor of public understanding of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire, says lying is a 'very difficult thing to do'.
Wiseman notes that the traitors on the show have an advantage because their lies are 'sanctioned' – they have permission to deceive, which makes it easier than telling unsanctioned lies. He explains that lying for a reason, or at least a reason that convinces the liar it is just, lowers anxiety and reduces behaviours that might suggest deception. 'Lies that pull us apart and that are exploitative, we feel bad about, and we should feel bad about it, and that means all those signals flow out,' he says.
While there are 'tells' such as eye contact, rubbing noses, or covering faces, Wiseman says these visual signals are less accurate than verbal cues. 'Verbal cues such as ums and ahs, missing details and displaying uncertainty, tend to be more accurate,' he says. He also warns of micro-expressions, like a brief flash of horror covered by a smile.
Wiseman emphasises the importance of plausibility: 'Keeping it plausible, that's key. You don't want these sort of fantastical kind of lies.' Good liars are often bright, he says, because they think through what is plausible, what others know, and what questions might be asked. They also control their physiology, especially under pressure, and avoid panicking when caught out.
The final of The Traitors, series three, airs on Friday at 8.30pm on BBC One and is also available on BBC iPlayer.
