pathology of lying-第5部分

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th　fluent　details　about　hairbreadth　escapes　and　other　adventures。　　He　also　told　at　length　of　his　love　affair　with　a　young　girl。　　These　stories　were　discovered　to　be　false　from　‘‘A　to　Z''；　he　did　not　clearly　remember　them　later。　　The　evolving　of　such　fabrications　was　all　along　one　of　his　chief　characteristics。　　Examination　showed　no　gross　intellectual　defect；　but　there　were　certain　psychopathic　signs　which　had　been　displayed　from　early　childhood：　he　had　little　endurance　and　was　unable　to　stand　criticism。　　Emotions　befitting　his　stories　were　correctly　expressed　by　him；　there　were　no　facial　evidences　of　conflict　or　discomfort。　　It　was　impossible　to　tell　from　his　physiognomy　that　he　was　engaged　in　untruths。　　Mentally　he　was　well　oriented　and　his　thoughts　flowed　in　orderly　sequence。　　Despite　rather　limited　education　he　demonstrated　very　good　style　in　his　conversation　and　his　letters。　　The　train　of　thought　was　expressed　coherently　and　logically；　so　well　that　one　could　speak　of　him　as　having　literary　ability。　　Physically　he　was　quite　normal。　　Investigation　of　antecedents　showed　that　he　was　born　of　an　exceedingly　nervous　mother　（more　exact　diagnosis　not　given）　and　that　he　had　a　feebleminded　brother。　　During　his　school　career　he　was　considered　to　have　quite　fair　ability。　　He　learned　no　trade；　and　after　stopping　school　would　leave　a　position　upon　the　slightest　provocation。　　Before　he　was　23　he　had　been　legally　punished　many　times　for　stealing　and　had　spent；　all　told；　over　three　years　in　prison。　　Once　before　he　had　attempted　suicide。　　After　the　thorough　study　of　him　at　23　he　was　placed　in　an　asylum。　　There　he　was　occupied　at　basket　weaving　and　was　chiefly　notable　for　keeping　up　the　characteristics　that　were　peculiar　to　him　before。　　He　continually　lied　and；　indeed；　seemed　to　get　his　main　pleasure　out　of　telling　fabulous　stories　to　the　other　patients。

Case　IV　was　a　man　of　31　years；　a　decorative　painter　by　trade；　who　presented　himself　at　the　states　attorney's　office　and　stated　that　in　a　fit　of　jealousy　he　had　shot　and　killed　a　man。　　Taking　up　the　case　it　was　soon　found　that　this　was　quite　untrue　and　that　the　man　was　a　chronic　liar。　　He　seemed　much　astonished　when　he　was　told　that　the　man　he　claimed　to　have　killed　was　still　alive。　　Further　study　of　this　self…accuser　showed　that　he　had　been　punished　by　the　law　every　year　since　he　was　16。　　His　offenses　consisted　of　embezzling；　theft；　forgery；　and　swindling。　　In　all　he　had　served　about　6　1/2　years。　　His　lying　was　so　much　a　part　of　his　mental　life　that　he　seemed　to　be　unable　to　discriminate　between　his　real　and　his　fancied　crimes。　　He　not　only　invented　stories；　but　was　much　inclined　to　play　some　role　created　by　his　fancy。　　There　seemed　to　be　a　method　in　his　cheating　and　swindling　which　added　to　his　undoubted　pleasure　in　lying。　　His　peculiar　career　was　much　furthered　by　the　possession　of　a　fluent　style　and　a　good　memory　through　which　his　creations　were　built　up　in　most　plausible　fashion。　　He　proved　to　be　willingly　introspective　and　stated　that　his　inclination　to　lie　was　a　puzzle　to　him；　and　that　while　he　was　engaged　in　prevarications　he　believed　in　them。　　He　always　was　the　hero　of　his　own　stories。　　He　further　declared　that　inner　unrest　and　love　of　wandering　drove　him　forth　even　when　he　was　living　under　orderly　conditions。　　He　considered　that　his　feeling　of　restlessness　was　a　weighty　motive　in　the　deeds　for　which　he　had　been　punished。　　At　one　time　this　man　had　simulated　attacks　of　epilepsy　and　attempted　in　connection　with　these　to　swindle　physicians　and　others。　　His　schooling　had　been　continued　to　the　gymnasium；　‘‘untertertia；''　then　he　had　taken　up　his　trade。　　His　intelligence　and　memory　were　considered　excellent。　　He　had　an　insane　brother。

Vogt＇11＇　has　made　a　thorough　analysis　of　six　cases　of　pathological　liars；　ranging　from　the　very　stupid　to　the　intelligent。　　I。　A　girl；　who　had　done　poorly　in　school　was　unable　to　hold　a　place　and　became　a　thief。　　Her　mother　was　epileptic。　　Examination　showed　intelligence　not　equal　to　that　of　eight　years　with　moral　inferiority　on　account　of　this　weakness。　　II。　A　feebleminded　girl　of　vacillating；　weak　judgment。　　Father　insane。　　Her　lies　were　marked　by　their　fantastic　nature。　　III。　Lively；　fanciful；　unstable；　hysterical　girl。　　Poor　record　at　school。　　IV。　Hysterical　liar　with　peculiarities　united　with　splendid　mental　ability。　　V。　Unusually　intelligent；　15　years　old；　illegitimate　child；　normal　mother　who　later　had　five　sound　children；　father　drunkard。　　Her　lies　were　neither　of　suggested　nor　dreamy　type；　they　were　skillfully　dramatized　means　to　an　end　in　her　fight　for　social　position。　　In　the　psychiatric　examination　she　was　found　mentally　normal。　　VI。　Girl　thoroughly　intelligent；　good　at　figures　and　puzzles；　with　no　signs　of　degeneracy。


＇11＇　‘‘Jugendliche　Lugnerinnen。''　　Zeitschrift　fur　Erforschung　d。　jugend。　　Schwachsinns。；　Bd。　3。　H。　5。　1910；　p。　465。



Vogt　characterized　the　pathological　lie　as　active；　more　elaborately　constructed；　more　inclusive；　and　leaving　the　ground　of　reality　more　readily　than　ordinary　lies。　　Such　lies　he　does　not　always　find　egocentric。　　To　the　pathological　liar　his　own　creation　is　reality；　so　he　walks　securely；　is　open　and　amiable。　　All　these　cases　are　gifted　with　lively　imaginations　and　inclined　to　autosuggestion。　　Vogt　calls　the　pathological　lie　a　wish　psychosis。　　This　statement　opens　the　way　to　an　interesting　and　valuable　interpretation　of　the　psychological　significance　of　this　phenomenon　of　the　mental　life。　　He　finds　many　more　girls　than　boys　among　his　cases；　boys　lie　from　need　of　defense　and　protection；　girls　more　from　autosuggestion。　　This　type　of　lie　is　of　greater　interest　to　social　than　to　clinical　psychology。　　He　emphasizes　the　point　that　very　refined　and　complicated　lies　appear　in　healthy　young　people　in　the　stress　of　difficult　situations。　　Obstinate　and　stubborn　lying　of　itself　is　no　disease　among　children；　examination　must　reveal　that　the　lie　has　a　morbid　cause。

The　resemblance　of　pathological　lying　to　poetic　creation　was　first　suggested　by　Delbruck＇12＇　in　a　reference　to　Keller's　‘‘Der　grune　Heinrich；''　a　German　novel　in　which　the　lies　of　a　boy　of　seven　years；　lies　of　a　creative　type　of　the　nature　of　retroactive　hallucinations；　are　described。　　Hinrichsen＇13＇　discusses　at　length　the　resemblance　of　pseudologia　phantastica　to　poetic　creation　in　Goethe；　Grillparzer；　Hoffman；　and　others。


＇12＇　loc。　cit。

＇13＇　‘‘Zur　Kasuistik　und　Psychologie　der　Pseudologia　phantastica。''　Arch。　fur　Kriminal　Anthrop。　umd　Kriminalistik；　1906。



In　an　inaugural　dissertation　Anna　Stemmermann＇14＇　presents　exhaustively　a　series　of　cases。　　These　cases　were　studied　over　a　long　period　catamnestically。　　Commenting　upon　one　case　she　says：　　It　is　worthy　of　note　in　this　history　that　the　patient　in　a　hypnoidal　condition；　with　headache　and　flushed　face；　crochets　in　a　senseless　way　and　thinks　she　is　weaving　a　wreath　for　her　mother's　grave；　her　mother　being　still　alive。　　We　often　meet　with　actions　like　this。　　Characteristic　is　the　report　of　spontaneous；　fearful　headache；　without　the　patient's　putting　this　in　relation　to　her　peculiar　behavior。　　We　lay　more　stress　upon　this　condition　than　has　been　done　previously　in　the　literature。　　We　believe　that　this　symptom　is　wanting　in　no　classic　case　of　pseudologia　phantastica。　　Often　in　this　condition　of　narrowed　consciousness；　the　daydreams　are　spun　and　have　such　a　power　of　convincing　that　they　later　make　the　basis　for　pathological　lies　and　swindling。　　In　this　hypnoidal　state　a　strongly　heightened　suggestibility　exists　and　trivial　external　causes　give　daydreams　their　direction。　　The　general　trend　of　fancy　reveals　naturally　the　inclinations　and　ideals　of　the　affected　individual。　　Stemmermann　also　maintained　that　the　pathological　lie　is　a　wish　psychosis。　　Even　outside　of　the　hypnoidal　state；　these　cases　are　more　suggestible　than　the　general　run　of　people。


＇14＇　‘‘Beitrage　und　Kasuistik　der　Pseudologia　phantastica。''　Geo。　Reimer；　Berlin；　1906；　pp。　102。



Of　Stemmermann's　own　cases；　ten　in　number；　only　four　at　most　were　normally　endowed；　the　remainder　were　either　stupid　or　slightly　imbecile。　　This　agrees　with　the　experience　of　previous　writers。　　Study　of　her　cases　showed　that　there　was　report　of　previous　mendacity；　four　had　been　liars　from　childhood。　　She　found　in　them　the　combination　of　the　general　habit　of　lying　underneath　the　more　accentuated　form　of　pseudologia　phantastica。　　One　case　had　perverted　sex　feeling；　one　was　a　prostitute　at　sixteen　years。

In　her　dissertation　some　points　for　the　differentiation　of　the　pathological　lie　have　been　added　to　those　offered　by　Delbruck；　Risch；　Koppen；　and　Vogt。　　The　pathological　liar　lies；　not　according　to　a　plan；　but　the　impulse　seizes　him　suddenly。　　This　propensity　grows　stronger。　　Under　strict　supervision　it　comes　to　only　an　abortive　attack；　similar　to　what　happens　in　cases　of　dipsomania；　or　of　tendency　to　rove　in　which　the　repressed　outbreak　expresses　itself　in　tormenting　psychical　and　physical　unrest。　　While　the　normal　liar　and　swindler　is　forced　to　be　on　his　guard　lest　he　divulge　something　of　the　actual　state　of　affairs；　and　is　therefore　either　taciturn　or　presents　an　evil　and　watchful　appearance；　or；　if　a　novice　at　his　trade；　is　hesitating　in　his　replies；　the　pathological　liar　has　a　cheerful；　open；　free；　enthusiastic；　charming　appearance；　because　he　believes　in　his　stories　and　wishes　their　reality。　　The　inconsequential　way　in　which　such　persons　go　to　work　is　to　be　explained　by　the　fact　that　consciousness　of　the　real　situation　is　partly　clouded　in　their　minds。　　In　any　special　act　it　is　impossible　to　say　whether　the　consciousness　of　the　lie；　fancy；　or　delusion　preponderates。　　Inability　to　remember　delinquencies　Stemmermann　regards　also　as　added　proof　of　pathological　lying。

She　speaks　of　another　class　of　prattlers；　chattering　people　that　might　be　confounded　with　pathological　liars　from　the　stories　they　tell　in　full　detail。　　But　they　have　no　system　which　they　develop；　often　change　their　subject　and　do　not　paint　in　a　lifelike　way　because　they　do　not　believe　their　own　stories　or　live　in　them　in　a　self…centered　manner。

Of　the　17　cases　Stemmermann　studied　from　the　literature　（Delbruck；　Hinrichsen；　Jorger；　Redlich；　Koelle；　Henneberg　；　Wellenbergh）　10　were　periodic