{"id":119942,"date":"2023-12-26T07:22:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-26T11:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=119942"},"modified":"2023-12-26T11:51:34","modified_gmt":"2023-12-26T15:51:34","slug":"spy-the-lie-book","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/spy-the-lie-book\/","title":{"rendered":"Spy the Lie Book Overview: Tips From Former CIA &#038; NSA Experts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What is the <em>Spy the Lie<\/em> book about? What can we learn from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/the-cia-operations-technology-langley\/\">the CIA<\/a> about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-detect-lies\/\">lie detection<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In <em>Spy the Lie<\/em>, a book written by former CIA and NSA professionals, the authors explain their system for asking questions and watching responses in an interrogation. Their system can be used in many contexts, both in an interrogation and in daily life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Continue reading to learn <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-detect-a-lie\/\">how to spot a lie<\/a> according to the experts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-about-the-book-spy-the-lie\">About the Book <em>Spy the Lie<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you ever had the feeling someone was lying to you&#8230;even when every word from their mouth seemed true?<em> <\/em>In a world where truth and lies seem always to be intertwined, the <a href=\"https:\/\/us.macmillan.com\/books\/9781250029621\/spythelie\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Spy the Lie<\/em><\/a> book gives you the tools to cut through distracting and misleading details\u2014with effective questions and a sharp eye for suspicious \u201ctells,\u201d you\u2019ll know when someone is trying to deceive you or hide the truth.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this book, CIA veterans Philip Houston, Michael Floyd, and Susan Carnicero, and former NSA analyst Don Tennant, describe their system for interviewing informants, suspects, and applicants for sensitive positions\u2014and they explain how the system can help <em>anyone<\/em> detect deception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-system-a-tool-for-spotting-hidden-deception\">The System: A Tool for Spotting Hidden Deception<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Since deception often hides within truth\u2014and you\u2019re biased to <em>expect<\/em> people will be honest\u2014you can\u2019t rely on mere intuition to know when someone\u2019s lying to you. This is why the authors devised the System: a process that enables you<strong> <\/strong>to<strong> ignore distracting and misleading truthful<\/strong><strong><em> <\/em><\/strong><strong>statements and <\/strong><strong><em>only focus on whether someone is sending signals that they\u2019re lying.<\/em><\/strong> This guide will cover how to use the System in three parts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>The Basics of the System<\/strong> discusses how the System was created and its essential elements.<\/li><li><strong>Step 1: Ask Your Interviewee Questions<\/strong> explores the types of questions that are most effective for getting someone to reveal deception.<\/li><li><strong>Step 2: Listen and Watch For Signs of Deception<\/strong> describes the telltale verbal and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/body-language-cues-for-lying\/\">behavioral signs of deception<\/a> to look out for.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-basics-of-the-system\">The Basics of the System<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In his CIA career, Houston interviewed people using a polygraph machine, a device that charts a person\u2019s physiological responses to questions. As Houston gradually learned which verbal and behavioral signals reliably linked to deceptive responses, he created a System to replicate the polygraph\u2019s functionality in two steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Ask someone (we\u2019ll call him the \u201cinterviewee\u201d) a question.<\/strong> This stimulus<em> <\/em>prompts the interviewee\u2019s verbal response <em>and<\/em> involuntary physical reactions.&nbsp;<\/li><li><strong>Watch and listen closely to your interviewee\u2019s reactions and responses.<\/strong> You\u2019ll look for elements of their response that suggest they might be deceiving you or having a physiological reaction to your question. (We\u2019ll cover telltale verbal and behavioral signs of deception in the final section of the guide.)<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-key-to-the-system-s-success-the-five-second-rule\">The Key to the System\u2019s Success: The Five-Second Rule<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The authors stress that human brains simply cannot process and analyze each word and behavior in a conversation<\/strong>. The System gets around this shortcoming by implementing <em>the five-second rule<\/em>: Instead of trying to interpret the meaning of <em>everything<\/em> the interviewee says or does, <strong>you\u2019ll watch and listen for signals of deception<\/strong><strong><em> <\/em><\/strong><strong>only in the first five seconds following each question<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This rule has two main benefits: First, <strong>closely observing the period immediately following your question tells you whether your interviewee\u2019s actions are <\/strong><strong><em>direct reactions<\/em><\/strong><strong> to what you asked<\/strong>. In other words, if you see a sign of deception within five seconds of asking your question, you can assume your question triggered it. However, if you see a potentially suspicious sign <em>outside<\/em> of this timeframe, you can likely disregard it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-watch-for-clusters\">Watch for Clusters<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you notice a sign of deception within those crucial five seconds, the authors instruct you to pay attention to whether it forms a <em>cluster<\/em>. <strong>A cluster is when the interviewee shows two or more signs of deception in their response. <\/strong>The first sign <em>must<\/em> happen within the first five seconds following your question, and the further signs of deception can happen at any time in the response, up until the interviewee is interrupted by another stimulus. (Shortform note: Though the authors don\u2019t define what \u201cinterruption\u201d means, we can infer that it refers to any event, including another question, that draws the interviewee\u2019s attention away from you.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-1-ask-your-interviewee-questions\">Step 1: Ask Your Interviewee Questions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you understand the basics of the System, let\u2019s explore the details of <em>using<\/em> it. The first step is to <strong>ask the interviewee a question\u2014creating a stimulus that they\u2019ll have to react to.<\/strong> In this section, we\u2019ll first cover the most effective methods of questioning, then explain behaviors to <em>avoid <\/em>when asking questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ask-the-right-questions\">Ask the Right Questions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The authors advise that certain types of questions are more effective than others.<strong> The \u201cright\u201d kinds of questions conserve your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/mental-energy\/\">mental energy<\/a><\/strong>\u2014saving it for the intense focus required in observing both the verbal and behavioral aspects of your interviewee\u2019s response. <strong>Effective questions also increase the mental energy your interviewee must spend on his responses<\/strong>\u2014making it harder for him to create false details, keep his story straight, and figure out ways to get around directly answering you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The authors discuss three traits of effective questions: They\u2019re relevant, they\u2019re short, and they\u2019re loaded. Let\u2019s explore each trait in detail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-trait-1-they-re-relevant-to-your-goal\">Trait #1: They\u2019re Relevant to Your Goal<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>The authors explain that if you\u2019re using the System in a conversation with someone, you\u2019re likely trying to determine whether they\u2019re telling the truth about something specific. <strong>To save your mental energy, only ask questions that pursue the goal of obtaining this specific information.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-trait-2-they-re-as-short-as-possible\">Trait #2: They\u2019re as Short as Possible<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>By asking brief questions, you encourage the interviewee to respond quickly and instinctively\u2014often leading to slips or inconsistencies in their story that might indicate a lie.<\/strong> On the other hand, if you ask long questions that give the interviewee time to think while you\u2019re speaking, she can more easily create false details to fit her existing narrative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-trait-3-they-re-loaded-not-leading\">Trait #3: They\u2019re Loaded, Not Leading<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Leading<\/em><\/strong><strong> questions imply one possible, simple answer\u2014usually \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno.\u201d<\/strong> On the other hand, <strong><em>loaded<\/em><\/strong><strong> questions imply that you know some information about the interviewee and what his response <\/strong><strong><em>should<\/em><\/strong><strong> be.<\/strong> This causes your interviewee to spend a lot of mental effort on trying to figure out how much, and what kind of, information you know and carefully deciding on an answer that won\u2019t conflict with that information.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-step-2-listen-and-watch-for-signs-of-deception\">Step 2: Listen and Watch For Signs of Deception<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Following each question, you\u2019ll apply the second part of the System: <strong>simultaneously<\/strong> <strong>watching and listening for verbal and behavioral signs of deception in your interviewee\u2019s response. <\/strong>Recall that the first sign must happen within five seconds of your question, and that you\u2019re looking for a <em>cluster:<\/em> two or more signs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-verbal-signs-of-deception\">Verbal Signs of Deception<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The authors provide four broad categories of verbal signs to look out for: \u201cinappropriate\u201d responses, failure or reluctance to answer, qualifier-heavy answers, and generally suspicious responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-verbal-category-1-inappropriate-responses\">Verbal Category 1: \u201cInappropriate\u201d Responses<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Inappropriate responses don\u2019t make sense given the tone or subject of your conversation. The authors outline four types of inappropriate responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Inappropriate questions<\/strong> are ones the interviewee would be unlikely to ask if they were innocent\u2014for example, \u201cWhat evidence do you have against me?\u201d An innocent interviewee would assume there\u2019s no evidence against him, so he\u2019d be unlikely to ask this question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Inappropriate levels of politeness:<\/strong> If the interviewee becomes overly formal with you or offers you a compliment for seemingly no reason, he may be trying to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-be-likable\/\">be more likable<\/a>. According to the authors, this is often intended to make you less confrontational and more likely to believe him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Inappropriately high concern for minor events:<\/strong> For example, the interviewee shows outrage over a coworker\u2019s dessert being stolen from the community fridge. This is often an attempt to portray himself as a righteous, innocent person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Inappropriately low concern for major events:<\/strong> For example, the interviewee shows indifference or dismissiveness toward a coworker&#8217;s murder. By doing this, the interviewee may be trying to convince you that a legitimate problem isn\u2019t actually concerning.<strong> <\/strong>The authors describe this as an irrational, defensive effort to escape reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-verbal-category-2-failure-or-reluctance-to-answer\">Verbal Category 2: Failure or Reluctance to Answer<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>The authors explain that the interviewee may also try to avoid directly answering you. Let\u2019s examine five strategies the interviewee may use to dodge your questioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Complaints about procedure:<\/strong> Comments such as, \u201cThis is taking forever!\u201d or \u201cWhy are you even talking to me about this?\u201d can seek to convince you that you\u2019re wasting your time talking to the interviewee and should look elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Selective memory or understanding:<\/strong> An interviewee\u2019s claim not to understand a question or remember a past event may signal that they\u2019re feigning ignorance. This may be an attempt to frustrate you or convince you to move on in the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Too-specific answers <\/strong>only<strong> <\/strong>give information related to <em>part <\/em>of your question\u2014deliberately missing its objective. For example, if you ask a potential hire, \u201cWhat\u2019s your experience overcoming project <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/common-business-problems\/\">management challenges<\/a>?\u201d and the interviewee says, \u201cI\u2019ve managed successful projects before,\u201d you\u2019re dealing with a too-specific answer. The interviewee may be focusing on the specific detail of his <em>projects\u2019 <\/em>success to hide his poor track record in handling management challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Repeating information: <\/strong>The authors explain that repetition with the intent to deceive can take two different forms:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The interviewee claims they&#8217;ve already answered your question, so they don&#8217;t need to answer again. This may be an attempt to avoid the discomfort of directly lying again.<\/li><li>The interviewee repeats your question back to you. For example, they might respond to your question \u201cWhere were you last night?\u201d with \u201cWhere was I last night? Let\u2019s see\u2026\u201d The authors say this may be a strategy to buy time.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Nonanswers:<\/strong> When the interviewee starts his response with phrases unrelated to your question\u2014such as, \u201cFunny you should mention that,\u201d or \u201cGreat question\u201d\u2014he may be buying time to think about his response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-verbal-category-3-qualifier-heavy-answers\">Verbal Category 3: Qualifier-Heavy Answers<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Qualifier-heavy answers use language that makes a statement of facts sound <em>more<\/em> certain or <em>less<\/em> certain\u2014depending on whether the interviewee\u2019s objective is to emphasize their trustworthiness or keep their assertions vague.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Emphasizing trustworthiness:<\/strong> When the interviewee uses language like \u201cto be honest\u201d and \u201cto <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/jordan-peterson-tell-the-truth-rule-8\/\">tell the truth<\/a>,\u201d they try to make a statement appear more certain. This highlights their credibility and buys time for the interviewee to think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Making vague assertions:<\/strong> The authors say language like \u201cmore or less,\u201d \u201cbasically,\u201d or \u201cby and large\u201d tries to make a statement of fact less certain. This allows the interviewee to exclude important information to create a quasi-truthful response that doesn\u2019t admit guilt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-verbal-category-4-generally-suspicious-responses\">Verbal Category 4: Generally Suspicious Responses<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>The authors explain that some types of responses are simply \u201csuspicious.\u201d Here, we\u2019ll go over five types of responses the authors find generally suspicious and what each suggests about your interviewee\u2019s intentions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Short denials buried in long explanations:<\/strong> Remember that creating complete fabrications can be psychologically difficult. The authors say that because of this mental barrier, a <em>long <\/em>explanation with only a <em>brief <\/em>denial inside it can signify the interviewee\u2019s discomfort with their denial. To cushion this discomfort, they add information that may have little to do with the denial itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Inconsistent responses<\/strong>, which make a different<em> <\/em>statement of fact from a previous response, suggest the interviewee fabricated at least one of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ambiguous denials<\/strong> are claims of innocence like, \u201cI didn\u2019t do anything wrong!\u201d which don\u2019t directly address your question. The authors explain this often signals a desire to avoid committing to an outright fabrication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Aggressive or condescending responses<\/strong> are often an attempt to scare or annoy you into backing off your line of questioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Making oaths:<\/strong> The authors say an interviewee who swears on God may be both trying to look pious and hoping you\u2019ll accept their earnestness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-behavioral-signs-of-deception\">Behavioral Signs of Deception<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Alongside <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/verbal-signs-of-deception\/\">verbal signs of deception<\/a>, the authors suggest watching for behavioral signs: things people <em>do <\/em>in response to your questions. These include: pauses before answering, suspicious <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/body-language-crucial-conversations\/\">body language<\/a>, and disconnects between speech and action. As with verbal signs, we can divide these behavioral categories into subcategories, each of which counts as one sign of deception. Let\u2019s cover each category now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-behavioral-category-1-pauses-before-answering\">Behavioral Category 1: Pauses Before Answering<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>People commonly pause before answering a question. According to the authors, you must decide within the context of the conversation whether a pause is \u201ctoo long.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some questions merit a pause\u2014for example, \u201cWhere were you a month ago?\u201d\u2014because most people can\u2019t remember details off the top of their head. Meanwhile, a question like, \u201cDid you steal that gun?\u201d warrants an immediate answer, because no honest person would need to think about the response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-behavioral-category-2-suspicious-body-language\">Behavioral Category 2: Suspicious Body Language<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Body language often subconsciously betrays someone\u2019s true emotions by flagging sudden increases in anxiety<\/strong>. In the authors\u2019 experience, the following kinds of body language reliably serve this purpose. We\u2019ll explain each one, as well as any caveats you should keep in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Shifting in place:<\/strong> The more pronounced the movement and the closer it occurs to your question, the more suspicious it is. The authors say it\u2019s important to pay attention to when the movement happens: If the interviewee slides his chair forward <em>for the first time<\/em> immediately after your question, it suggests deception. On the other hand, if he slides around <em>consistently<\/em>, not as a<em> <\/em>response<em> <\/em>to your question, it may not<em> <\/em>be a sign of deception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Throat clearing <\/strong><strong><em>before <\/em><\/strong><strong>answering, not <\/strong><strong><em>after:<\/em><\/strong> Throat clearing signals both anxiety and an attempt to buy time. However, if it comes at the end of your interviewee\u2019s response, it\u2019s much more likely to be a natural bodily function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Spikes in fidgeting or grooming <\/strong>often accompany anxiety. Examples include playing with hair, picking at fingernails, clicking a pen, clenching hands, and similar actions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Hiding the face, especially the eyes or mouth, <\/strong>is a natural indication of shame or embarrassment\u2014two emotions people commonly feel when lying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-behavioral-category-3-disconnects-between-speech-and-action\">Behavioral Category 3: Disconnects Between Speech and Action<\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>The authors say <strong>the brain automatically matches verbal and behavioral actions to each other, and it\u2019s difficult to act against this tendency.<\/strong> For example, an innocent interviewee should shake her head, not nod, when denying your accusation. On the other hand, nodding while saying, \u201cI didn\u2019t do it,\u201d is a sign of deception.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This <em>doesn\u2019t <\/em>apply to brief answers where any head motion could be punctuative, such as an emphatic nod alongside a simple, \u201cNo!\u201d Additionally, the authors note that knowing your interviewee\u2019s background is important: In some cultures, nodding means \u201cno\u201d while shaking your head means \u201cyes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-exercise-examine-your-biases-and-prepare-to-use-the-system\">Exercise: Examine Your Biases and Prepare to Use the System<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The authors assert that <em>everyone <\/em>is capable of deception<em>. <\/em>To get comfortable testing others for signs of deception, you must first rid yourself of the belief that someone else would never lie to you. In this exercise, reflect on why you might trust others by default and why you may need to use the System.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Identify a situation where you might instinctively trust a stranger. Why are you inclined to do this?<\/li><li>Are there any people you trust so much that you\u2019d never suspect them of lying? Who are they, and why do you believe they\u2019d never deceive you?<\/li><li>Describe one reason why it may be wise to use the System to verify what someone tells you, even though you trust them. For example, the other person might be ashamed of something they\u2019ve done wrong, so they\u2019re lying to avoid damaging your relationship.<\/li><\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is the Spy the Lie book about? What can we learn from the CIA about lie detection? In Spy the Lie, a book written by former CIA and NSA professionals, the authors explain their system for asking questions and watching responses in an interrogation. Their system can be used in many contexts, both in an interrogation and in daily life. Continue reading to learn how to spot a lie according to the experts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":119943,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,34,9],"tags":[1353],"class_list":["post-119942","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","category-communication","category-psychology","tag-spy-the-lie","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Spy the Lie Book Overview: Tips From Former CIA &amp; NSA Experts - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"In Spy the Lie, a book by former members of the CIA and NSA, we learn how to use an advanced system for detecting lies. Here\u2019s how it works.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/spy-the-lie-book\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Spy the Lie Book Overview: Tips From Former CIA &amp; NSA Experts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In Spy the Lie, a book by former members of the CIA and NSA, we learn how to use an advanced system for detecting lies. 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