The general theory of deception: A disruptive theory of lie production, prevention, and detection

The general theory of deception (GTD) aims to unify and complete the various sparse theoretical units that have been proposed in the deception literature to date, in a comprehensive framework fully describing from end to end the process by which deceptive messages are produced, and how this can inform more effective prevention and detection. As part of the elaboration of the theory, the different ways people elaborate deceptive messages were first tracked by the authors daily, over 3 years, resulting in the identification, description, and naming of 99 "elementary deception modes" (87 verbal, 12 nonverbal) that can all be combined during one deceptive episode, thus leading to a total estimate of 10³⁰ different ways to lie. Central to the GTD is the "five forces model," explaining precisely at which times deceptive messages occur and what factors compete to determine the types of messages that are most likely to be produced (truthful, refusal to answer, or deceptive-and with which deception modes). Finally, the process by which deceptive messages come to mind and are compared, both against each other and against the option of disclosing the truth, given memory's capacity and time limits, has been described in the form of a dynamic, continuous, and testable algorithm called the "deception decision algorithm" (DDA). The practical insights derived from this new disruptive theory of lie production are discussed and a theory-based lie prevention and detection enhancement method is introduced. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).