A lie: a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive (Dictionary.com).
Today society consists of good, yet dishonest company. Deceit is more common than uncommon and research has shown that on a daily basis, lies are consistent in every individual’s life. According to a study done by U.S. News & World Report, for every 10 minutes of mundane conversation, one person will tell two to three lies. However, although lying is an evil action that is regarded by many as immoral or betrayal, research has found that a little lying can actually be good for you (Boser).
Where did lying come from? If this action is regarded as such a negative, dishonest act then why do people lie in the first place? How and why do people initially learn how to…
Whether it be to protect a friend, boost one’s confidence, gain a reward or raise or just to bother a peer, lies are dropped everywhere. They are so common that humanity’s capacity to lie is practically infinite. People also lie out of their fear of the truth. We fear what we care about the most which lends itself to the fact that the two most frequent reasons for lying are care and…
For some, small lies or exaggerations can have positive psychological effects on those involved. According to research found in a recent study, college students partaking in interviews who fabricated their GPA later displayed clear growth and improvement in their grades (Boser). For these students, fiction turned into reality. Lying to oneself stimulates feelings of confidence and faith. Lies help people to believe in themselves.
Lies can be used to deceive not only others but people themselves, and lead to high achievement and success. Richard Gramzow, a psychologist at the University of Southampton in England, determined, “Exaggerators tend to be more confident and have higher goals for achievement.” He further explained, “Positive biases about the self can be beneficial” (Boser).
So now that it is clear that lies can be found anywhere, how can they be stopped? And if not stopped, at least detected? As seen on Today Health & Wellness, there are a series of cues that distinguish truth from…
