Pathological Lying, Accusation, and Swindling | Page 4

detailed
contemplation of the subject should lead to seeing new lines of
demarcation.
Definition: Pathological lying is falsification entirely disproportionate
to any discernible end in view, engaged in by a person who, at the time
of observation, cannot definitely be declared insane, feebleminded, or
epileptic. Such lying rarely, if ever, centers about a single event;
although exhibited in very occasional cases for a short time, it
manifests itself most frequently by far over a period of years, or even a
life time. It represents a trait rather than an episode. Extensive, very
complicated fabrications may be evolved. This has led to the
synonyms:--mythomania; pseudologia phantastica.
It is true that in the previous literature, under the head of pathological
liars, cases of epilepsy, insanity, and mental defect have been cited, but
that is misleading. A clear terminology should be adopted. The
pathological liar forms a species by himself and as such does not
necessarily belong to any of these larger classes. It is, of course,
scientifically permissible, as well as practically valuable, to speak of
the epileptic or the otherwise abnormal person through his disease
engaging in pathological lying, but the main classification of an
individual should be decided by the main abnormal condition.
A good definition of pathological accusation follows the above lines. It
is false accusation indulged in apart from any obvious purpose. Like
the swindling of pathological liars, it appears objectively more
pernicious than the lying, but it is an expression of the same tendency.
The most striking form of this type of conduct is, of course,
self-accusation. Mendacious self- impeachment seems especially
convincing of abnormality. Such falsification not infrequently is
episodic.

The inclusion of swindling in our discussion is due to the natural
evolution of this type of conduct from pathological lying. Swindling
itself could hardly be called a pathological phenomenon, since it is
readily explicable by the fact that it is entered into for reasons of
tangible gain, but when it is the product of the traits shown by a
pathological liar it, just as the lying itself, is a part of the pathological
picture. It is the most concrete expression of the individual's tendencies.
This has been agreed to by several writers, for all have found it easy to
trace the development of one form of behavior into the other. As
Wulffen says, ``Die Gabe zu Schwindeln ist eine `Lust am Fabulieren.'
'' Over and over again we have observed the phenomenon as the
pathological liar gradually developed the tendency to swindle.
Notwithstanding the grave and sensational social issues which arise out
of pathological lying, accusation, and swindling, there is very little
acquaintance with the characteristics of cases showing this type of
behavior, even by the people most likely to meet the problems
presented. Lawyers, or other professional specialists have slight
knowledge of the subject. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the
pathological lying does not follow the usual lines of abnormal human
behavior, unless it be among the insane where other symptoms
proclaim the true nature of the case. Another reason for the slight
acquaintance with the subject is the fact that almost nothing has been
written on it in English.
The important part which behavior of this type sometimes plays in
court work is witnessed to by the records of our own cases as well as
those cited in the previous literature. The legal issues presented by
pathological lying may be exceedingly costly. These facts make it
important that the well-equipped lawyer, as well as the student of
abnormal psychology, be familiar with the specific, related facts. For
such students the cardinal point of recognition of this class of conduct
may at once be stated to be its apparent baselessness.
The only method by which good understanding may be obtained of the
types of personality and mentality involved in pathological lying,
accusation, and swindling, as well as of the genetics of these tendencies,

is by the detailed reading of typical case histories. In this fact is found
the reason for the presentation of this monograph. Appreciation of the
nature of the phenomena can only be obtained through acquaintance
with an entire career. Any of us may be confronted by fabrications so
consistent as to leave at one or several interviews the impression of
truth.
Our selection of literature to summarize needs no explanation. We have
simply taken all that we could find which specifically bears on the
problem. Lying, in general, especially as a form of delinquency, has
received attention at the hands of some authors, notably Ferriani[1] and
Duprat.[2] The falsifications and phantasies of children and adolescents
have been dealt with by Stanley Hall.[3] None of these goes into the
important, narrower field with which we are here concerned. The
foreign literature is vitally important in its opening up of the subject,