Why do people lie?

Why do people lie?

There are many reasons as to why a person would lie. Often, these lies are done because the person believes that it is the right thing to do at that particular moment. However, the effects of lies can differ on what truth was lied about and on the entire situation as well.

The number one reason why people lie is that they are afraid of punishment. This is mostly true for younger children and adolescents. If the person believes that he or she will get a negative reaction when the truth is revealed, he or she would rather lie to that other person.

Lying may also be a result of wanting approval. Sometimes, a person would create a better image or reputation of one’ self, compared to what is really true, so they tend to lie. However, this kind of deception could go so far that the person could also tend to deceive his own self as well.
Avoiding conflicts and arguments is also another reason why a person lies and this is especially applicable among couples. Rather than telling his spouse that he went on a night-out with his male friends in a bar or telling him that she spent all her money on shopping, a person would rather not tell the truth to avoid having to go into a fight with the other.

Among celebrities, especially, lying can also be prevalent in order to maintain their own privacy. They do not want other people to know so much about their private lives that they would rather not tell the truth. These lies would often help in avoiding further questions that may result to other lies.

However, we should remember that lying is not good. Deceiving another person or even one’s self is something that we should not learn to practice, whatever situation we may be in.