In cases where there are _______________________________ the guilty subject may psychologically "give up" and their behavioral symptoms may not be indicative of deception.

• A. Moderate inconsistencies
• B. Clear lead from investigators
• C. Overwhelming investigative findings
• D. No evidence at all

Answer: (C)

When investigators present overwhelming evidence, the motivation to maintain a deception collapses. The guilty party is far more likely to concede and tell the truth, so to speak, rather than keep up a false story. Because the person isn’t trying to sustain a lie anymore, their behavior may stop showing the classic deception cues even though they are, in fact, guilty. In contrast, with only moderate inconsistencies, a clear lead, or no evidence at all, the pressure to deceive remains or the person may still guardedly manage their responses, so deception indicators can persist. So, the scenario where the evidence is overwhelming best explains the phenomenon of a subject “giving up” and displaying non-deceptive behavioral patterns.