GoKawiilPsychologist Leanne ten Brinke Debunks Eye-Contact Myth for Detecting Lies
On the Diary of a CEO podcast, psychologist Leanne ten Brinke told host Steven Bartlett that avoiding eye contact is not a reliable sign of lying. She discussed her research into 'dark tetrad' traits—narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy and sadism—and outlined other behavioral cues that can help identify deception and manipulative personalities. Ten Brinke is the author of 'Poisonous People: How to Resist Them and Improve Your Life.'
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The discussion challenges a widely held but scientifically shaky assumption that liars avoid eye contact, which could influence how people assess trustworthiness in personal and professional settings. Ten Brinke's focus on dark personality traits suggests growing public interest in understanding manipulative behavior, though her claims rest on her own research and should be weighed as expert opinion rather than settled fact.
- Avoiding eye contact is not a reliable indicator that someone is lying, according to ten Brinke.
- Ten Brinke's research centers on 'dark tetrad' traits: narcissism, Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and sadism.
- She shared alternative behavioral cues for spotting deception and manipulative personalities during the podcast interview.
Poisonous People by Leanne ten Brinke — If you want to dive deeper into the psychology discussed in this article, ten Brinke's own book explores how to recognize manipulative and deceptive personality types in everyday life. It expands on the research behind spotting liars and dark personality traits mentioned in her podcast interview, offering practical strategies for protecting yourself.
See Poisonous People by Leanne ten Brinke on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: fastcompany.com, 2026-10-19
Published there as: “Eye contact won’t tell you if someone is lying. A psychologist says to look for these signs”
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