There is some research coming out of USC that supports much of what I have been saying about lying and the reasons why disordered characters do it – especially when there appears to be no obvious advantage to it.

Evasion is a one of the main tactics manipulators and other disordered characters use to maintain control in situations. When you confront such persons about their behavior, they will often attempt to sidestep the issue or to avoid the subject altogether.

Disordered characters use the tactic of minimizing to manage the impression others have of them. It’s a way to manipulate others into thinking they’re not so bad despite the horrible things they’ve done.

“Denial” has traditionally been conceptualized as an ego defense mechanism. But disordered characters use denial as a tactic to feign innocence, and to manipulate and manage the impression of others who might otherwise have their number.

When manipulators rationalize, they’re mostly trying to manage your impression of them, trying to convince you that they meant no harm, had no choice, or did what any reasonable person would do in order to mislead you about the nature of their intentions and their character.