Types of Lies Questionnaire Test

Understand how you react to different kinds of lies from people around you in about 9 minutes. Get a quick profile of what you tolerate, what bothers you, and the motives you tend to assume.
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Questions489 minutes
Hi! My name is Freudly, i am an AI therapist, I will give you an interpretation of the test after you complete it.
08:30
October 2, 2025
October 2, 2025
Material has been updated
14,233 views
989 completions
856 likes
Verified by Daniel Hall
Psychologist with 25 years of experience
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How the Scales are Structured

example score
6/12
Fantasy Lie (FL)
Measures how acceptable you find harmless “fantasy” lies used to create a more interesting self-image in everyday communication.
Low tolerance
Moderate tolerance
High tolerance
03Low tolerance48Moderate tolerance912High tolerance
A score of 6 indicates moderate tolerance for fantasy lies, suggesting you may view occasional harmless embellishment as acceptable but still notice and evaluate it.
example score
3/12
Justifying Lie (JL)
Measures how acceptable and understandable you find excuse-based lies used to justify or soften the consequences of questionable actions.
Low acceptance
Moderate acceptance
High acceptance
04Low acceptance58Moderate acceptance912High acceptance
A score of 3 indicates low acceptance of excuse lies, suggesting you tend to view self-justifying explanations as relatively unacceptable or unconvincing.
example score
2/12
Motives for Lying (MfL)
Measures how many different motives a person attributes to themselves for distorting information through lying.
Few motives
Several motives
Many motives
03Few motives48Several motives912Many motives
A score of 2 falls in the 'Few motives' range, suggesting the person reports using lies for a limited number of reasons.
example score
5/12
Self-Presentation Lie (SPL)
Measures how acceptable or tolerable you find others embellishing their image through deceptive self-presentation, especially with less familiar people.
Low acceptance
Moderate acceptance
High acceptance
04Low acceptance58Moderate acceptance912High acceptance
A score of 5 suggests a moderate acceptance of others using image-enhancing exaggerations, indicating you may see it as sometimes understandable but not always appropriate.
example score
7/12
Gossip (G)
Measures how acceptable or tolerable you find gossip, meaning the sharing of unverified or potentially false information about other people in everyday conversations.
Low tolerance
Moderate tolerance
High tolerance
04Low tolerance58Moderate tolerance912High tolerance
A score of 7 falls in the Moderate tolerance range, suggesting you may view gossip as sometimes acceptable or understandable, though not necessarily desirable.
example score
4/12
Omission (O)
Measures how negatively you perceive omissions (withholding part of the truth) when others communicate with you.
More tolerant
Mixed/conditional
Less tolerant
04More tolerant58Mixed/conditional912Less tolerant
A score of 4 suggests you are relatively tolerant of omissions, tending to see withholding information as less problematic in many situations.
example score
8/12
Benevolent Lie (BL)
Measures how acceptable you find “white lies” that withhold important information to protect someone from harm.
Low acceptance
Moderate acceptance
High acceptance
04Low acceptance58Moderate acceptance912High acceptance
A score of 8 indicates moderately high acceptance of lies told for someone’s benefit, suggesting you may see them as sometimes justified depending on the situation.
example score
10/12
Politeness Lie (PL)
Measures how accepting a person is of etiquette-based “polite lies” used to maintain social harmony.
Low acceptance
Moderate acceptance
High acceptance
04Low acceptance58Moderate acceptance912High acceptance
A score of 10 indicates high acceptance of polite lies, suggesting they are generally seen as a normal and mostly harmless part of everyday politeness.
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DATA-BASED USER COHORTS

Who Usually Takes This Test?

Trust-Hurt Relationship Seekers
41%OF USERS
People dealing with suspicion, jealousy, or past betrayals who want to clarify which kinds of lies feel tolerable versus relationship-breaking.
Psychology Clients and Students
34%OF USERS
Those in therapy or studying psychology who want a structured profile of their attitudes toward different forms of everyday dishonesty.
Workplace Communication Navigators
25%OF USERS
Professionals in team settings who want to understand their reactions to office omissions, polite lies, gossip, and self-presentation tactics.
BASED ON AGGREGATED, ANONYMIZED DATA FROM TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FREUDLY USERS.
RESULTS YOU CAN ACTUALLY USE

Scale Results
— Explained Clearly
Your scores across each test scale are translated into plain, usable insights. You won’t just get numbers — you’ll learn how your results impact your daily life, emotional state, and overall well-being.
AI-Powered
Interpretation
You’ll receive a structured, clinically-grounded explanation. Our AI analyzes patterns and relationships between scales to provide a coherent interpretation, without exaggerated language.
Statistical
Comparison
See how your results compare to others. Anonymized platform data is used to create a percentile scale, which identifies whether your results are typical.
Practical
Recommendations
You’ll receive clear, actionable guidance tailored to your profile. These easy-to-implement suggestions focus on coping, self-regulation, and realistic next steps.
AI-Powered
Insights
Get insights on behavioral and thought patterns you might not notice on your own. By uncovering subtle connections between your responses, you’ll better understand what may be driving your current results.
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Clarify, reflect, and explore your results right away. Talk through your experience, ask questions, and explore meanings in a calm, non-diagnostic dialogue.
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See How You Compare

Once you complete the test, your results are compared with real-world data from people in your country.
Below is a preview of how scores are typically distributed across each scale.
Lie-Fantasy (L)
Average
4
Normal range
26.1
min.
0
max.
12
Majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Lie-justification (L)
Average
6.9
Normal range
5.18.7
min.
0
max.
12
Majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Motives for Lying (MfL)
Average
4.1
Normal range
1.86.3
min.
0
max.
12
Majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Deceptive Self-Presentation (DS)
Average
4.8
Normal range
3.16.4
min.
0
max.
12
Majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Gossip (G)
Average
8.1
Normal range
6.69.5
min.
0
max.
12
Majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Default (D)
Average
6.1
Normal range
48.2
min.
0
max.
12
Majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Lies for a Greater Good (LfaGG)
Average
4.3
Normal range
2.75.8
min.
0
max.
12
Majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
Polite Lies (PL)
Average
4.7
Normal range
2.66.8
min.
0
max.
12
Majority
This curve shows how scores are typically distributed.
Once you complete the test, your result will appear on the scale so you can see how you compare.
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CLEAR ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this questionnaire measure?
It assesses attitudes toward several common forms of lying used in everyday communication. It also measures which motives for lying are most often attributed to other people.
Which forms of lying are included?
The scales cover fantasies, lies for the greater good, excuse lies, omissions, gossip, polite lies, and self-presentation-related lies. Items ask for evaluations of these forms when they occur in the surrounding social environment.
How long does it take and how many items are included?
Completion time is typically about 9 minutes. The questionnaire includes 48 items.
How should responses be selected?
Select the option that best matches the current attitude toward each described situation. Use the first response that seems accurate rather than overanalyzing specific past events.
How are results used in practice?
Results provide a profile of which types of information distortion are judged as acceptable or unacceptable. Findings can guide clinical discussion of trust, boundaries, and interpersonal conflict when lying is relevant.
WHAT THE TEST MEASURES
About This Assessment
Types of Lies Questionnaire Test

Types of Lies Questionnaire Test - Symptoms and Signs

This questionnaire assesses attitudes toward different forms of deception as they occur in everyday social interactions. The Types of Lies Questionnaire asks respondents to rate their reactions to several commonly described kinds of lying that may be encountered from close others, friends, or coworkers.

The measure includes 48 items and typically requires about 9 minutes to complete. It yields a profile of the respondent’s relative acceptance or intolerance of different lie types and may also include an adjunct scale that indexes the motives the respondent tends to attribute to other people’s deception. The Types of Lies Questionnaire is attributed to Paul Ekman and may be used in clinical or counseling contexts to support case formulation when deception, trust, or communication patterns are salient concerns.

Author: Paul Ekman
Literature: DePaulo, B. M., Kashy, D. A., Kirkendol, S. E., Wyer, M. M., & Epstein, J. A. Lying in everyday life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 1996.
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