Nudge Prof Wiseman: “This is how you spot a liar”
34 snips
Apr 27, 2026 
Richard Wiseman, psychologist and author known for Quirkology and public experiments. He reveals how people usually miss lies, what behavioural cues actually matter, whether the world is really ‘six degrees’ apart, and quirky studies on luck, honesty and pupil-driven buying. Short, surprising science stories and live-experiment tales.
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Sir Robin Day Truth Test Revealed
- Professor Richard Wiseman staged two interviews with Sir Robin Day where one answer was a lie and one was true.
- The lie (Gone With The Wind) was much shorter and used fewer first-person references, which disguised it from TV viewers.
Words Beat Visuals For Detecting Lies
- Visual cues like shifting, fidgeting, or averting eyes are poor indicators of lying and can mislead observers.
- Focusing on words improves detection: radio listeners detected the lie ~73% versus TV viewers ~52% in Wiseman's study.
Less Detail And Fewer 'I's Signal Deception
- Liars typically provide fewer details and avoid self-references like I, reducing opportunities for contradiction.
- Truthful responses are longer, include more 'I' usages, and admit forgotten details, which helps detection.
