pathology of lying-第17章

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　hounding　her；　she　was　found　once　more　impossible　to　deal　with　and；　as　her　work　became　poorer；　she　had　to　leave。　　At　this　period　it　was　most　significant　to　us　that　in　spite　of　her　expressed　desire　for　freedom　from　persecution　she　did　not　want　us　to　look　further　into　her　case　because　of　certain　mysterious　letters　which　would　incriminate　her。　　We　felt　entirely　convinced　that　the　several　reports　which　we　received　of　her　career　in　preceding　years　gave　a　satisfactory　clew　to　her　character；　although　we　were　never　able　to　analyze　the　case　far　enough　to　ascertain　the　genetic　features。　　Thus　it　is　impossible　to　make　any　summary　of　causative　factors。



CASE　6

Summary：　　A　thoroughly　characteristic　example　of　the　type　of　pathological　lying　which　led　to　the　invention　of　the　term　pseudologia　phantastica。　　A　young　woman；　well　endowed　physically　and　mentally；　for　years　has　often　been　indulging　in　extensive　fabrications　which　have　no　discernible　basis　in　advantages　accruing　to　herself。　　The　peculiarities　of　the　falsifications　have　given　rise　to　much　trouble　for　her；　her　family；　and　for　many　others　who　have　been　incidentally　connected　with　the　situation。　　The　genesis　of　the　tendency　was　finally　found　in　early　experiences　about　which　there　have　been　much　mental　repression　and　conflict。　　In　the　background　there　was　also　defective　home　control　and　chronic　neuropathic　tendencies　in　both　parents　and　in　their　kin。


Janet　B。；　19　years　old；　we　saw　first　in　an　eastern　city　at　the　request　of　her　parents。　　There　she　had　become　involved　in　troubles　which　seemed　particularly　hard　to　unravel。　　However；　we　were　told　that　this　was　an　old　story　with　her。　　A　diagnosis　of　her　mental　condition　was　asked；　and　recommendations　for　the　future。　　Janet　had　told　some　very　peculiar　stories　at　her　place　of　employment　where　she　was　doing　very　well　as　a　newcomer；　without　any　seeming　reason　for　fabrication。　　Several　who　had　become　interested　in　her　were　wondering　if　she　were　quite　sane。

After　having　made　her　way　alone　to　New　York；　Janet　readily　obtained　employment。　　After　a　couple　of　weeks　she　approached　a　department　manager　of　the　concern　for　which　she　worked　and　related　a　long　story；　which　at　once　aroused　his　sympathy。　　She　told　him　that　her　father　and　mother　had　died　in　the　last　year　and　that　she　was　entirely　dependent　upon　herself。　　When　she　was　about　four　years　of　age　she　had　been　in　a　terrible　accident　and　a　certain　man　had　saved　her　life。　　Naturally；　her　father　had　always　thought　very　highly　of　this　person　and　had　pensioned　him。　　Formerly　he　lived　up　in　the　country　with　his　family；　but　at　present　was　old；　penniless；　and　alone　in　the　city。　　Now　that　her　parents　were　dead　she　was　in　a　quandary　about　keeping　up　her　father's　obligation　to　the　old　man。　　Out　of　her　8　a　week　it　was　hard　to　make　both　ends　meet。　　She　had　to　pay　her　own　board　and　for　this　man　also。　　She　found　that　he　needed　to　be　taken　care　of　in　every　way；　she　had　to　wash　his　face　and　dress　him；　he　was　so　helpless。　　She　made　no　demand　for　any　increase　of　salary　and　the　story　was　told　evidently　without　any　specific　intent。　　The　services　of　a　social　worker　were　enlisted　by　the　firm　and　the　girl　reiterated　the　same　story　to　her；　even　though　it　was　clearly　intended　that　the　case　should　be　investigated。　　Janet's　boarding…house　was　visited　and　there　she　was　found　to　be　living　with　distant　relatives　whom　she　had　searched　out　upon　her　arrival　in　the　city。　　They　knew　she　had　run　away　from　home　and；　indeed；　by　this　time　the　mother　herself　was　already　in　New　York；　having　been　sent　for　by　them。

The　situation　then　became　more　complicated　through　the　girl's　giving　more　explanatory　details　to　the　social　worker；　somewhat　accusing　her　own　family。　　It　was　at　this　time　I　first　saw　her。　　She　then　acknowledged　that　this　story　of　a　man　who　had　saved　her　life　was　purely　an　invention。　　Now　she　stated　that　in　the　western　town　where　she　lived　she　had　been　engaged　to　a　young　man　who　was　discovered　to　be　a　defaulter　and　who　had　recently　died。　　When　this　fellow　was　in　trouble；　his　mother；　while　calling　on　Janet's　family；　used　to　make　signals　to　her　and　leave　notes　under　the　table　cover；　asking　for　funds　with　which　to　help　him　out。　　This　was　a　great　strain　upon　Janet　and　even　more　so　was　his　death。　　She　could　stand　it　no　longer　and　fled　the　city。　　Her　lover's　stealing　was　a　secret　which　she　had　kept　from　her　own　family。

Before　we　had　become　acquainted　with　the　true　facts　about　the　family　this　girl　gave　us　most　extensive　accounts　of　various　phases　of　her　home　life　which　included　the　most　unlikely　and　contradictory　details。　　For　instance；　they　had　a　large　house　with　beautiful　grounds；　yet　before　she　left　home　she　bought　a　sewing　machine　for　her　mother；　which　she　is　paying　for　on　weekly　installments。　　Her　8　a　week　is　very　little　for　her　to　live　on　because　she　is　paying　this　indebtedness。　　Janet　wishes　now　to　take　out　a　twenty　year　endowment　policy　in　favor　of　her　mother。　　Her　brothers　and　sister　are　all　very　bright；　she　tells　us；　but　she　has　never　been　particularly　close　to　any　member　of　her　family　except　her　mother。　　The　others　always　remind　her　that　they　are　better　educated　than　she　is。　　She　expects　to　take　up　French　and　Spanish　in　the　evenings　because　they　would　be　very　helpful　to　her　commercially。　　She　does　not　care　to　grow　up；　prefers　simple　enjoyments；　and　has　no　desire　for　social　affairs。　　She　is　only　desirous　of　improving　her　education。　　She　relates　her　success　as　a　Sunday　School　teacher。　　She　thinks　at　times　she　is　very　nervous；　and　especially　when　she　was　in　the　high　school　she　showed　signs　of　it。　　Then　she　used　to　stutter　much；　but　of　late　she　has　been　able　to　control　this。

At　another　time；　very　glibly　and　without　the　slightest　show　of　emotion；　she　continues　with　her　story。　　Tells　of　frequent　fainting　spells　when　she　goes　from　one　attack　into　another。　　She　has　not　had　them　just　recently；　but　she　used　to　have　them　at　home。　　Tells　us　now　that　her　mother　has　been　very　sick　and　she　has　been　worrying　much　about　her。　　She　wanted　to　send　money　to　her　and　help　support　her。　　‘It's　awfully　hard　on　one　to　know　your　mother　is　terribly　sick　and　to　think　you　can't　reach　her　if　anything　should　happen。''　　（It　is　to　be　remembered　that　all　this　was　told　when　the　girl　must　have　known；　if　she　had　thought　at　all；　that　we　would　certainly　get　the　full　facts　in　a　day　or　so。）

On　the　physical　side　we　found　a　very　well　developed　and　well　nourished　young　woman。　　Weight　148　lbs。　　No　sensory　defect　noted。　　Moderately　coarse　features；　broad　deep　chest；　quiet　and　strong　attitude。　　No　signs　whatever　of　nervousness。　　Her　only　complaint　at　present　is　of　headaches　and　‘‘quivering''　attacks。　　（We　could　get　no　corroboration　at　all　of　either　of　these　from　any　one　else。）　　She　frequently　spoke　of　herself　as　entirely　healthy　except　for　these　slight　ailments。　　Some　months　later；　vide　infra；　it　was　discovered　that　Janet　had　a　chronic　pelvic　trouble。　　The　most　notable　finding　was　Janet's　facial　expression　when　confronted　by　some　of　her　incongruities　of　behavior。　　Then　she　assumed　a　most　peculiar；　open…eyed；　wondering；　dumb　expression。　　When　flatly　told　a　certain　part　of　her　story　was　falsehood；　she　looked　one　straight　in　the　eyes　and　said　in　a　wonderfully　demure　and　semi…sorrowful　manner；　‘‘I　am　sorry　you　think　so。''　　Her　expression　was　sincere　enough　to　make　even　experienced　observers　half　think　they　must　themselves　be　wrong。

On　the　mental　side　she　demonstrated　good　ability　in　many　ways。　　She　had　been　through　two　years　of　high　school　and　showed　evidences　of　her　training。　　We　tested　her　for　a　number　of　different　capacities　and；　with　one　exception；　we　found　all　through　that　she　did　fairly　satisfactory　work；　showing　herself　to　have　normal　mental　capabilities　and　control。

This　exception　was　in　the　‘‘Aussage''　or　testimony　test。　　Here　in　reporting　on　our　standard　picture　she　gave　in　free　recital　17　items；　which　is　a　fair　result；　but　she　added　several　incorrect　details。　　On　questioning　she　gave　12　more　items；　but　invented　still　more　details。　　Of　the　seven　standard　suggestions　offered　she　very　curiously　accepted　only　one；　and　that　not　important。　　As　an　example　of　how　she　would　supply　details　from　her　fancy　is　the　following：　　The　picture　represents　a　little　girl　standing　by　the　side　of　an　older　person。　　Janet　said　it　was　a　little　boy；　that　he　had　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　a　muffler　on　his　neck；　a　stocking　cap　on　his　head；　and　black　shoes　and　stockings。　　All　of　these　were　voluntarily　offered　and　all　were　incorrect。

Beyond　this　curious　performance；　and　her　peculiar　lack　of　foresight　and　shrewdness；　or　whatever　it　is　that　causes　her　so　readily　to　falsify　and　fabricate；　we　found　not　the　slightest　evidence　of　aberration。　　Her　conversation　was　coherent　and　to　the　point。

In　the　information　obtained　from　the　intelligent　parents　the　following　points　stand　out　clearly。　　The　heredity　is　of　interest。　　There　has　been　no　known　case　of　feeblemindedness；　insanity；　or　epilepsy　on　either　side；　but　there　is　a　great　admixture　of　very　good　with　quite　unstable　qualities。　　This　is　true　of　both　sides。　　Some　members　of　the　family　have　taken　high　positions　in　the　community；　and　been　exceptionally　endowed　mentally。　　Others　have　been　notoriously　lacking　in　stability。　　We　are　informed　that　on　one　side　some　have　shown　a　marked　inclination　for　tampering　with　the　truth；　and　it　is　suggested　that　Janet's　tendency　is　the　result　of　early　influence。　　The　care　of　an　incompetent　grandmother；　whose　word　was　notoriously　untrustworthy；　devolved　upon　the　family　and　it　was　impossible　to　prevent　Janet　from　being　much　with　her。　　All　of　the　children　were　aware　of　the　old　lady's　untruthfulness。　　One　of　Janet's　parents　had　been　addicted　to　narcotics；　but　had　managed　to　shake　off　the　habit。　　The　other　parent　has　had　a　severe　attack　of　‘‘nervous　prostration；''　largely　induced；　it　is　maintained；　by　worry　over　family　affairs。　　It　is　most　interesting　to　note　that　the　other　children；　two　boys　and　one　girl；　have　turned　out　remarkably　well；　two　being　university　graduates；　and　all　being　very　stable　in　character。　　Both　parents　are　people　of　good　moral　ideals；　and　in　spite　of　their　own　nervous　defects　have　given　their　children　very　good　care。

The　pregnancy　with　Janet　was　not　entirely　healthy；　but　no　worse　than　with　the　other　children。　　Her　birth　and　infancy　were　normal。　　Walked　and　talked　early。　　Started　to　school　at　6。　　Menstruated　first　at　13；　not　irregular。　　She　never　had　any　severe　illnesses　of　any　kind。　　As　a　child　she　once　fell　down　some　steps　and　was　unconscious　for　a　few　minutes；　but　the　accident　was　not　known　to　have　left　any　bad　effects。　　Janet's　own　stories　of　fainting　are　much　exaggerated。　　In　fact；　the　mother　has　never　really　seen　her　faint；　nor　is　there　any　evidence　of　any　minor　lapses　of　consciousness。　　At　times　the　girl　would　feel　faint　and　ask　that　water　be　poured　on　her　foreheadthat　was　all　there　was　to　it。　　She　was　removed　in　the　middle　of　her　high　school　course　on　account　of　general　nervousness。　　The　doctor　felt　she　was　working　too　hard。　　Her　parents　are　sure　she　was　never　a　great　sufferer　from　headaches。　　Nothing　else　of　importance　could　be　found　in　her　physical　history。　

The　story　of　this　girl's　falsifications　and　fabrications　as　obtained　from　her　people　is　exceedingly　long。　　As　a　young　child　s