New Study Suggests Full Bladders Help With Lying
Lying isn’t an activity that most would recommend or even condone, but there are exceptions to the rule. Of course, the golden rule is that if someone is going to lie, he or she should at least do it well — even if it’s only to spare some embarrassment. But if new studies are any indication, lying well is about more than stringing together words; it’s about avoiding a trip to the bathroom.
Based on prior trials, Iris Blandón-Gitlin reasoned that there was a link between impulse control and bladder control — and more importantly, the applications of such a bond. To find the truth, she headed an experiment at California State University that brought in twenty-two students; they were asked to fill out a questionnaire on controversial issues, and then had to lie about their answers in an interview afterward. The trick is that half of the subjects had their interview forty-five minutes after drinking fifty milliliters of water, while the other half drank more than ten times that.
The end result is that those with full bladders were able to cover their lies far better. Despite the pressure, they managed to give longer and more detailed answers, and didn’t give off any hints for their lies. As a result, there may very well be a neural link between impulse and bladder control — though Blandón-Gitlin notes that trying to lie while ready for the restroom is just as likely to end in a mess.
