Narcissists and sociopaths are highly adept at lying to the extent that they believe their own lies.
Any girl who has battled narcissistic abuse from a parent, roommate, or significant other will be quick to tell you about a narcissist’s natural tendency to tell lies.
Unfortunately, many people seem to believe these lies.
A victim of narcissistic abuse will often tell the truth until they are blue in the face, and yet others will believe the narcissist’s distorted version of events instead.
If you’ve ever encountered a narcissist, it’s understandable for you to wonder whether they can pass a polygraph test despite being a pathological liar.
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Can a narcissist pass a polygraph exam?
Narcissists are well-known for easily passing lie detector tests because they live in a distorted reality in which they believe their own lies.
When a narcissist lies, their body remains calm, and they do not display the telltale physical reactions that polygraph exams use to determine whether a person is lying.
Since narcissists lack the capacity for empathy, they don’t feel any remorse for lying. In their mind, they aren’t doing anything wrong.
In cases of malignant narcissism, the narcissist completely lacks a conscience.
Lying is a normal behavior for narcissists.
They don’t even seem to register the fact that they’re lying. Instead, they’re simply spinning a more interesting tale or saying what they have to say to get their needs met.
Therefore, their bodies don’t react as though they are telling a lie.
Why it’s hard to tell when a narcissist is lying
When a person lies, they usually display certain body language that makes others suspect that they are telling a lie.
Often, they will refuse to make eye contact, and their eyes will shift directions. They’ll become very fidgety and will either share too much or keep their story vague.
Sometimes they’ll even cover their mouth or part of their face or instinctively touch their nose.
Their tone of voice may rise and fall, and they’ll often change the subject or point at something else to take the focus off the conversation.
However, narcissists rarely display any of these telltale signs when they are lying, which is why many people, including judges, believe that they’re telling the truth.
How narcissists easily pass lie detector tests
Lie detector tests, also known as polygraph exams, go beyond the standard interrogation methods.
Average individuals and even trained detectives will look for body language cues to determine whether a lie is being told.
On the other hand, polygraph tests pick up on physiological responses, such as increased heart rate and blood pressure, and compare those measurements to the identified baseline.
When normal people lie, their heart rate and blood pressure will temporarily spike, but this is rarely true of narcissists.
Since they don’t believe they’re doing anything wrong, and because lying is the norm for them, their heart rate typically remains stable when they’re lying.
Although lie detector tests are still used today, they have often been found to be inaccurate and the results are no longer admissible in many courtrooms.
Types of narcissism and their impact on polygraph exams
Every subtype of narcissism still falls under the category of narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), but not every narcissist is cut from the same cloth, and this can affect their ability to pass a lie detector test.
Overt narcissists
Overt narcissists are the more arrogant types who are full of themselves and exaggerate their own accomplishments.
Their overconfidence can either work for or against them during a polygraph exam.
Covert narcissists
Covert narcissists have a deep sense of inadequacy that they mask with their false persona.
However, their actual lack of confidence may cause changes in their blood pressure and heart rate when taking a polygraph exam.
Antagonistic narcissists
Antagonistic narcissists are basically overt narcissists who have a desire to compete and a propensity for taking advantage of other people.
The combination of arrogance and lack of empathy may lead them to pass a polygraph test.
Communal narcissists
Communal narcissists are very generous and altruistic despite their narcissism.
They have the desire to change the world and make a difference, which hides the evil lurking within.
Their ability to identify right from wrong could expose them when given a lie detector test.
Malignant narcissists
Malignant narcissists have a combination of both narcissistic and antisocial traits, making them the most diabolical narcissists.
Since they lack empathy and a conscience, they are extremely likely to pass a polygraph test.
How you can tell when a narcissist is lying
If you ever try to take your narcissistic partner on the Maury show to prove they’re cheating, you’ll probably be the one leaving with egg on your face.
Fortunately, there are a few ways for you to clearly see right through a narcissist’s lies.
Half-truths
Narcissists often tell lies that are half true to give themselves more credibility and increase their chances of being believed.
If they say something that sounds too outrageous to be true but mix in just a little bit of truth, that’s a good way to identify that they’re lying.
Projecting blame
Narcissists are also infamous for projection. They’ll accuse you of the very thing that they’re doing.
If they repeatedly accuse you of cheating, most likely, they have another partner on the side. Watch out for what they accuse others of doing.
That often says a lot about their own dirt.
Identifying inconsistencies
Even though narcissists are skilled liars, many of them still fail to have the ability to keep up with their lies.
They’ll often change their stories to make them more captivating or to appeal to a specific audience.
While few people can retell a story word for word, too many inconsistencies are a sign of lying.
Improbability of events
Many people have amazing once-in-a-lifetime stories to tell, but narcissists have entire books of these stories that they use to get others to admire them and express interest.
If something sounds too incredible to be true, then it’s probably a lie.
What (not) to do if you catch a narcissist in a lie
It’s only natural to want to confront a liar and call them out, but you’ll never win an argument with a narcissist. If their lie was vague, they’ll simply lie more to fill in the blanks.
Or worse, they’ll bring up every suspected lie you’ve ever told. In the end, you’ll be the one apologizing, not them.
Although narcissistic abuse is usually verbal, emotional, psychological, and sometimes economic in nature, narcissists are prone to rages and narcissistic injury, which can lead to physical violence.
And their biggest fear is exposure. If you tell others what they’ve done, you can prepare yourself for the inevitable smear campaign.
Moving past narcissistic abuse
Narcissists will never admit it when they’re wrong, so don’t expect apologies from your ex-narcissistic partner.
While normal exes may try to apologize for their wrongdoing and rekindle the relationship, narcissists will either ghost you, hover around, or embark on a love bombing or smear campaign.
If you decide to stay with a narcissist after catching them in a lie, you need to accept that there will be many more lies to come. Very rarely does a narcissist change their ways.
You should keep records of all communication to combat lies and save your reputation.
You can also use this documentation in divorce or custody proceedings if necessary. It’s not easy to move past narcissistic abuse, but it’s definitely possible.
