Heroism, martyrdom, distinguished origins, scientific invention, financial coups or social fame - all are grist to the mill. Very often the claimant becomes the butt of his fellows, who discover that in the face of scepticism or interrogation he is spurred to even giddier heights of implausibility. In other instances, however, the fictional character of the 'reminiscences' may not be appreciated by the audience. It is ironic to realize that the term 'pseudologia phantastica' is applied generally to the behaviour of patients merely because their reports are demonstrably untrue. There must be many people who are not under psychiatric treatment because their reports have not been recognized as untrue.
Hysterics are notorious for their histrionic talents and for their apparent sincerity.
On superficial acquaintance they tend to be very convincing, so it is likely that for every patient under treatment there are many non-patients whose equally fantastic reminiscences are accepted as genuine. Graham Reed, The Psychology of Anomalous Experience , Prometheus Books, New York, 1988. In The Penguin Book of Lies , pp.