Pathology of Lying, Accusation, and Swindling: A Study in Forensic PsychologyHealy, William
Science
Pathology of Lying, Accusation, and Swindling: A Study in Forensic Psychology
Healy, William
Criminal psychology; Swindlers and swindling
Summary: In summarizing the characteristics of this woman we may
first insist that she has ambition, push, and energy in high
degree. Her personality as expressed in general bearing,
features, and facial action is remarkably strong and convincing.
Her ambition was shown in her work on our tests as well as in her
social behavior. (We have wondered if it was not her desire to
shine which prevented the typical performance of the pathological
liar on the ``Aussage'' test.) Her self-confidence as expressed
on numerous occasions is no less striking. ``I tell you, doctor,
that I have told lies, but you will see that I will come out on
top.''
Inez has been free from the overt problems of sex life. We have
repeatedly been informed that she has been a girl of good
character in this respect. ``I ran away from home for a good
cause. I'm not one of those girls who is crazy about the boys.''
Usually Inez shows a very even temper. It is only when her own
personality is trod upon that she grows angry, and obstinacy is
then her leading reaction. Some pathological liars may be weak
in character, but not Inez. She is the firmest of persons. On
occasions her attitude is entirely that of the grand lady. Her
type of lying is clearly pathological. It would often be very
hard to discern a purpose in it, and over and over again she has
defeated her own ends by further indulgence in prevarications.
To her the utterance of lies comes just as quickly and naturally
as speaking the truth comes to other people. Even in interviews
with us when she was voluntarily acknowledging her shortcomings
in this direction she went on in the same breath to further
falsifications.
The medical aspects of the case come under the same category as
the lying. The dysuria, the spitting of blood, the sugar in the
urine, the hairpins found twice in the abdomen, the simulated
pains, neurasthenia, and bronchial attacks, together with her
stories of accidents and fainting spells illustrate her general
tendency. This behavior, like her lying, serves to feed her
egocentrism, her craving for sympathy and for being the center of
action. As with the lying, repetition of this type of conduct
probably is largely a matter of habit.
The bearing of this case on the problems of testimony is
interesting. As shown in our account of tests done, when
objective concrete material was considered by this woman she
reported it well. It is only when her egocentrism is brought
into play that she becomes so definitely unreliable. This is a
line of demarcation that students of this subject would do well
to recognize.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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