Basic information | |
|---|---|
| Statements: | 21 |
| Duration: | 3–4 minutes |
| Type: | Self-assessment |
| Seminal work: | Deenz Pathological Lying Scale (DPLS-21) |
| Publishing year: | 2024 |
| Instructions: | Pathological lying is a multifaceted phenomenon involving various factors such as motivation, frequency, and psychological aspects. The purpose of the Deenz Pathological Lying scale is to assess facets or dimensions that may shape, influence, and impact an individual's overall well-being. Based on 21 statements and a 10-point scale, participants are asked to indicate their agreement for each statement. |
Pathological liar test is available in the following languages:
Pathological liar test is based on the preliminary version of the research on development and validation of Deenz Pathological Lying Scale and here it is provided in the form of quiz, designed to measure inclination towards harmful behaviors which may impact individuals social wellbeing. Participation in this quiz is complete anonymous and no data is collected for research purposes.
A pathological liar is someone who engages in telling lies all the time, even when there’s no good reason to do so. Some people have a tendency or habit of making up non-stop stories and it becomes regular thing, making it challenging for others to trust them. [1] Stones, M. J. (1976). “A study of a pathological liar. Social Behavior and Personality”
In the initial development of the Deenz Pathological Lying scale, it was understood that the characteristics and motivations behind lying can be complex and multifaceted. The primary aim behind the development was to measure tendencies towards seven possible facets: Occasional lying, Compulsiveness, Mythomaniacs, Impulsivity, Narcissistic tendencies, Manipulation, and Defensive lying. After evaluating these facets, the overall score serves as a key factor in measuring the inclination towards engaging in pathological lying.
7 facets or dimensions of Pathological Lying.
Occusionial Occasional lying is something we all do from time to time. Occasional lying is a normal part of human behavior to protect oneself and to maintain harmony in a social life. Telling little fibs without the intention to hurt someone’s feelings and trying to keep the peace is considered normal. [2] GARLIPP, PETRA. ““When I asked him he told me, here he had always tried to tell me the whole truth. …… Sometimes Occasional lying may cause conflicts and may impact interpersonal relations. Thus motivation behavior the occasional laying and the frequency of engagement are crucial in measuring the impact.
Compulsive Compulsive Liar refers to the person who has a strong urge to tell lies frequently without apparent reason to do so. A compulsive liar can’t stop telling lies and has a strong desire to make up stories. compulsive lying is like a habit that may seem hard to control and happens so automatically that the person even does not realize they are doing it. This type of behavior can result from feelings of insecurity or wanting to fit in and manipulating situations for self-interest.
Mythomaniacs The term is derived from a combination of two components, mytho means recurrent narrative theme and Maniac means obsession with a particular activity or behavior. [3] de la Serna, Juan Moises. Mythomania, uncovering the compulsive liar. Babelcube Inc., 2018. A Mythomaniac lair is someone who has a compulsion to tell stories or myths to create an impression. People with this type of behavior desire to be perceived as successful and important.
Impulse An impulse liar refers to a person who lies on the spur without thinking about the impact and consequences. People with this type of behavior come up with a story on the fly when faced with a question or situation. It is just like reacting impulsively or making up something without taking a moment to think what they might have to say.
Narcissistic Narcissism is named after the mythical figure Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection. Narcissists often display an exaggerated sense of self-importance and seek attention from others. A narcissistic liar is someone who always tells lies, to maintain their self-image and manipulate students to avoid trouble or gaining something tangible. The person may tell lies constantly to make an impression and to look amazing in situations where they may feel avoided.
Manipulator A manipulator is someone who engages in influencing or controlling others deceitfully to achieve what they want. A manipulator liar is someone who is using lying as a tactic to manipulate others for their personal gain. It is like playing a mind game to bend situations to result in a web of lies. People with this type of behavior often thrive in creating confusion and doubt to gain trust in the eyes of others. They are skilled in gaining trust and present themselves as friendly.
Defensive Liar A defensive Liar is someone who feels threatened, when the person faces problems admitting a mistake it results in lying to defend oneself. People with this type of behavior make up stories and build a protective shield of lies to avoid getting in trouble. They always feel scared of the consequences if they tell the truth. It is like creating a safe space where they feel uncomfortable being honest. [4] Muzinic, (2016). “Psychiatric aspects of normal and pathological lying.”
References
Stones MJ. A study of a pathological liar. Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal. 1976 Jan 1;4(2):219-24. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.1976.4.2.219 ↩
GARLIPP, PETRA. ““When I asked him he told me, here he had always tried to tell me the whole truth. Yet, if he might have been wrong concerning a few things, he could not know.”(Delbrück, 1891, p. 88, own translation)(1).” Unusual and Rare Psychological Disorders: A Handbook for Clinical Practice and Research (2016): 319. Google Books ↩
de la Serna, Juan Moises. Mythomania, uncovering the compulsive liar. Babelcube Inc., 2018. Google Books ↩
Muzinic, Lana, Dragica Kozaric-Kovacic, and Igor Marinic. “Psychiatric aspects of normal and pathological lying.” International journal of law and psychiatry 46 (2016): 88-93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2016.02.036 ↩
