The Atlantic

Groups Are Better Than Individuals at Sniffing Out Lies

People are not generally great at detecting deception, but new research shows that discussing with others makes a big difference.
Source: Panarat Thepgumpanat / Reuters

The official board game of my house is , and whenever we play, the unspoken (or, more often, spoken) assumption is that my roommate Adam is always the werewolf. To be fair, he often the werewolf. And he has a habit of saying “I’m the werewolf,” right at the beginning of the game, essentially short-circuiting everyone’s thought processes, because the point of the game is to lie, and to find the liars. Admitting upfront to being a werewolf just does not compute. Unless,

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from The Atlantic

The Atlantic4 min read
Your Phone Has Nothing on AM Radio
This article was featured in the One Story to Read Today newsletter. Sign up for it here. There is little love lost between Senator Ted Cruz and Representative Rashida Tlaib. She has called him a “dumbass” for his opposition to the Paris Climate Agre
The Atlantic5 min read
The Strangest Job in the World
This is an edition of the Books Briefing, our editors’ weekly guide to the best in books. Sign up for it here. The role of first lady couldn’t be stranger. You attain the position almost by accident, simply by virtue of being married to the president
The Atlantic8 min readAmerican Government
The Most Consequential Recent First Lady
This article was featured in the One Story to Read Today newsletter. Sign up for it here. The most consequential first lady of modern times was Melania Trump. I know, I know. We are supposed to believe it was Hillary Clinton, with her unbaked cookies

Related Books & Audiobooks