DISPENSARY CORNER 28 Sep 15
September 28, 2015
HERE’S a tip if you want to beat a
lie detector test - have a big drink
of water and don’t go to the loo
before you take the polygraph.
Researchers at California State
University have found that people
who were busting for a wee were
more able to lie convincingly.
They were investigating the socalled
“inhibitory spillover effect,”
which happens when a focus on
a particular task makes another
activity easier.
Participants in the study were
asked to drink a certain quantity
of water, and then either lied or
told the truth to an interviewer.
Observers watched the
interaction and had to report
whether the volunteers were lying
or not.
Apparently people who had
full bladders were much more
convincing liars than those who
didn’t need to spend a penny.
“Liars displayed significantly
fewer behavioural cues to
deception, more behavioural cues
signalling truth, and provided
longer and more complex
accounts than truth-tellers,” the
study’s abstract reads - probably
because these subjects were
concentrating on not wetting their
pants.
AND while we’re on the theme of
toileting, environmental officials
in Norway have asked hikers to
collect samples of any bear poo
they come across.
It’s part of an investigation into
the Norwegian bear population,
with the duly collected excrement
to undergo DNA analysis.
Once picked up - using the
time-honoured inside-out plastic
bag method - it’s best to freeze
the samples until they can be
delivered, wildlife officials said.
An instructive brochure comes
complete with graphic photos of
the poo - see www.rovdata.no.
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