Chapter 1
The psychology of the lie
Chapter 2
Masterpieces of the page
Chapter 3
Screen-tested deception
Chapter 4
Spotting the cracks
YOUR GOAL
Master of Inside the minds of literary liars
Ch 1 · The psychology of the lie
mahan Lava Planet HD 3167 b
Webb caught a cosmic liar in HD 3167 b, hiding its burning lava under a mask of air!
elmo Getting fooled by a narrator triggers a safe, exciting chemical rush in our brains.
elmo We naturally assume people are telling the truth until overwhelming evidence proves otherwise.
BETA
elmo Sort the clues from the lies to learn how thriller writers use unreliable narrators.
Fun Fact
Brain chemistry: When a twist reveals a narrator lied, your brain releases dopamine, treating the surprise like a solved puzzle.
Quiz
What is the term for an unreliable narrator who is too young or innocent to understand the events they describe?
Quiz
What psychological phenomenon causes readers to search for information that confirms their existing trust in a narrator?
Quiz
Which type of narrator in Riggan's system exaggerates their own achievements for comedic or heroic effect?
Quiz
In William Riggan's 1981 study, how many distinct types of unreliable narrators were identified?
Quiz
Which chemical is released in the brain when we experience a satisfying, surprising plot twist?
Quiz
Which psychologists showed in 1944 that humans naturally assign complex motives even to moving geometric shapes?
Quiz
What is the name of the theory proposed by Timothy Levine in 2014 about our natural tendency to believe others?