In Deception Detection, The Number Three (3) Is A Liar’s Number
Some people say that 666 is the devil’s number. Or that when you see 11:11 on a clock, someone is thinking of you. In deception detection, the number three (3) is a liar’s number.
When you hear or see the number three in a statement, pay attention. It’s the number most often used in deceptive statements. “I only had three beers.” “I texted her three times.” “When I walked out of the mall, three guys were standing by a van.” “I had $30 in my locker.” “I left work around three o’clock.” “We just hung out and watched 13 Going on 30, on Netflix.”
On December 10, 2017, CBS Minnesota News reported that Chicago police said a man and woman from suburban Minneapolis falsely claimed they were robbed at knife-point of a $12,000 engagement ring and other items.
“The pair told police they were downtown Chicago early Thursday when three people approached them with a knife. They said the robbers took the ring as well as a laptop, suitcase and an iPad Mini.
Police say Mager and Reiersgaard later admitted they made up the story. They were expected to appear in bond court in Chicago on Sunday.”
Further, in February 2018, a Texas woman plead guilty to lying to police when she said she had been kidnapped and raped by several black men.
She told police that three black men in ski masks had abducted her and that one of the men held her down while the other two raped her. She was cut by a knife when she tried to get away, she said. Two weeks later, she confessed to police that she’d made up the story and that cuts on her body were self-inflicted.
If you liked this post please Like, Share, and Post a Comment. As Managing Director of Concealed Statements, I specialize in exposing lies through verbal and written statements; and for a little levity to balance I am also a stand-up comedian and wedding officiant – Lies, Laughs, and Love!
Interesting for sure but why is the 3 significant for lying? I guess it is a 3 in any digital sequence?
Hi Tania,
Three is the number that has been proven to come up repeatedly in deceptive statements. Remember this is a science, so there have been a number of studies done to prove a high accuracy rate in the analyses. As for the actual *why*, I don’t not believe anyone has a concrete answer to that. Mark McClish has a few theories:
“Some people view the number three as being a complete number as in “Life, Birth and Death” or “Body, Mind and Spirit.” We also have three primary colors which all other colors come from. It may be that when deceptive people use the number they feel they are giving a whole and thorough number.
Another reason why deceptive people may use the number three is because many of the fairy tales and nursery rhymes we heard growing up used the number three. We find this in such stories as “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” “The Three Little Pigs,” “Three Blind Mice” and “Three Billy Goats Gruff.” There are also subtle references to the number three. Jack climbed the beanstalk three times. Cinderella made three visits to the ball. Rumpelstiltskin spun straw into gold three times and he allowed the heroine to guess his name three times over a three day period. Lastly, we all know if you rub the Genie’s magic lamp he will grant your three wishes. It may be we have unconsciously associated the number three with things that are not true. Therefore, when a deceptive person has to come up with a number he may rely on the number three.”
The easy answer is, two is too few, four is too many. Therefore, to a liar, three seems like a fair middle range,