A study of a pathological liar

An empirically oriented study of a pathological liar is described. It was hypothesized that such an individual might be characterized by a construct system that is atypically loose over a wide range of conventional, socially relevant constructs. Evidence consistent with this hypothesis was obtained from the Thought Disorder Grid (TDG) and by a marked response bias on the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI). However, a conventional Repertory Grid (administered twice) yielded scores to indicate that construing was tight over a limited range of idiosyncratic, socially relevant constructs. It was concluded that the individual’s understanding of his social environment was generally unreliable and this might be a factor to account for the lying behavior.