sure it makes sense. Made-up stories do not have details because they never happened!
Ask questions that will give you an objective, not a subjective, response. For instance, if you think an employee was home when he said he would be away on vacation, don't ask him how he enjoyed the weather in Florida. People generally take longer to respond to these type of questions. Instead, ask one such as "Did you rent a car?" Casually ask more questions in the same vein. Once he answers yes to any question, ask for more detail. If he's lying, he'll try to keep the facts straight and will take his time answering fur ther questions. People love to talk about themselves. The only way that someone would want to change the subject is if he's uncomfortable with the questions. If you're asking simple, innocuous questions you should expect that he would want to extend the conversation, not end it.
Most people will love to go on endlessly about the new restaurant they went to, the trip they took or the job they turned down . . . unless of course they're lying and you keep asking questions.
2. Add-a-False Fact
In this sequence you add a fact and ask the person to comment on it. This fact is one that you've made up, but one that sounds perfectly reasonable. For instance, let's say that while you are at a party someone proclaims that he has just returned from an East African safari. You could tell him that you heard that East Africa had had record hot tem-peratures. This is a fact that he might be able to confirm or deny regardless of whether he had actually been there. Furthermore, he could just plead ignorance of the fact and proclaim that it was very, very hot. Either way you're unable to detect deceit.
Here's how you can detect it. You can mention that your uncle who works as a customs officer at the Nairobi airport told you that everyone going to Africa was given special instructions on how to avoid malaria. As soon as he validates your claim in an attempt to back up his assertion that he has gone to Africa, you know that his story is untrue. Otherwise he would simply say that he doesn't know what your uncle is talking about.
Here are the criteria:
a. Your statement has to be untrue. If he merely confirms something that's actually true, you haven't learned anything new.
b. It has to sound reasonable. Otherwise the person you are questioning might think it's a joke.
c. Your assertion has to be something that would directly affect the person, so he would have firsthand knowledge of this "fact." In other words, in the above scenario you wouldn't say you heard that the tilt of the earth's axis made for exceptional viewing of the night sky.
3. Support-a-Fact
In this sequence you take what the person says and request proof, but in a very non-threatening manner. For example, in the case of the person who claimed he had gone on safari, you might let him know that you would love to see pictures of the trip. If he offers up a reason why you can't see the pictures—didn't take any, didn't come out right, left lens cap on—then this should arouse some suspicion.
Let's say you're a talk-show producer and you want to check the credibility of a guest. You might say, "Your story about this government conspiracy is fascinating. Since you worked in the building, it would be great if you would show us your security access card."
4. Expand-a-Fact
Use this clue to determine how far someone is willing to go to get what she wants. All you do is expand on a fact that she has already offered. If she just goes on without correcting you, then you know that she may be lying about what she's said so far and/or is willing to lie to get you to see her point. Let's say that you and your friend are deciding on what movie to see. You suggest Lost in Paradise, but your friend, who doesn't want to see this, offers as evidence a co-worker who has already seen it and didn't like it. You then say, "Oh, well, if no one in your office liked it, I guess it's probably
Ask questions that will give you an objective, not a subjective, response. For instance, if you think an employee was home when he said he would be away on vacation, don't ask him how he enjoyed the weather in Florida. People generally take longer to respond to these type of questions. Instead, ask one such as "Did you rent a car?" Casually ask more questions in the same vein. Once he answers yes to any question, ask for more detail. If he's lying, he'll try to keep the facts straight and will take his time answering fur ther questions. People love to talk about themselves. The only way that someone would want to change the subject is if he's uncomfortable with the questions. If you're asking simple, innocuous questions you should expect that he would want to extend the conversation, not end it.
Most people will love to go on endlessly about the new restaurant they went to, the trip they took or the job they turned down . . . unless of course they're lying and you keep asking questions.
2. Add-a-False Fact
In this sequence you add a fact and ask the person to comment on it. This fact is one that you've made up, but one that sounds perfectly reasonable. For instance, let's say that while you are at a party someone proclaims that he has just returned from an East African safari. You could tell him that you heard that East Africa had had record hot tem-peratures. This is a fact that he might be able to confirm or deny regardless of whether he had actually been there. Furthermore, he could just plead ignorance of the fact and proclaim that it was very, very hot. Either way you're unable to detect deceit.
Here's how you can detect it. You can mention that your uncle who works as a customs officer at the Nairobi airport told you that everyone going to Africa was given special instructions on how to avoid malaria. As soon as he validates your claim in an attempt to back up his assertion that he has gone to Africa, you know that his story is untrue. Otherwise he would simply say that he doesn't know what your uncle is talking about.
Here are the criteria:
a. Your statement has to be untrue. If he merely confirms something that's actually true, you haven't learned anything new.
b. It has to sound reasonable. Otherwise the person you are questioning might think it's a joke.
c. Your assertion has to be something that would directly affect the person, so he would have firsthand knowledge of this "fact." In other words, in the above scenario you wouldn't say you heard that the tilt of the earth's axis made for exceptional viewing of the night sky.
3. Support-a-Fact
In this sequence you take what the person says and request proof, but in a very non-threatening manner. For example, in the case of the person who claimed he had gone on safari, you might let him know that you would love to see pictures of the trip. If he offers up a reason why you can't see the pictures—didn't take any, didn't come out right, left lens cap on—then this should arouse some suspicion.
Let's say you're a talk-show producer and you want to check the credibility of a guest. You might say, "Your story about this government conspiracy is fascinating. Since you worked in the building, it would be great if you would show us your security access card."
4. Expand-a-Fact
Use this clue to determine how far someone is willing to go to get what she wants. All you do is expand on a fact that she has already offered. If she just goes on without correcting you, then you know that she may be lying about what she's said so far and/or is willing to lie to get you to see her point. Let's say that you and your friend are deciding on what movie to see. You suggest Lost in Paradise, but your friend, who doesn't want to see this, offers as evidence a co-worker who has already seen it and didn't like it. You then say, "Oh, well, if no one in your office liked it, I guess it's probably
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