How to Detect Lying and Cheating in Children

When a person lies, specific tissues in the nose usually engorge. This nasal engorgement causes mast cells to release histamine, which in turn causes the nose to itch. Dr. Hirsch has dubbed this nasal itching the “Pinocchio Sign” as an indicator of lying. He has demonstrated this phenomenon in adults, but it has never been investigated in children. To address this, Dr. Hirsch is currently studying children during periods of lying and cheating to determine if they manifest some of the same signs as adults.