Why We Lie According To Psychology

The use of lying is not exclusive to adults, but begins during the period of childhood. In general terms, boys and girls understand the events that happen around them by interacting with the environment.

In situations that raise some difficulty, the resource of lying is usually used to achieve a difficult goal to achieve if the truth were referred to. As a result of this, when in doubt about when we started lying, we can refer to the moment in which, during childhood, we begin to bond with our closest environment. To avoid this situation as much as possible, we recommend reading this article on how to teach a child not to lie.

After a while, this quality can be transferred to the school environment, since there it is understood that altering facts can represent a benefit. If this type of thinking is maintained, lying behavior can settle into adulthood However, this description is generalized and does not take into account the particularities of each person. For this reason, it is convenient to specifically state what the purpose of lying is in a human being.

Why do people lie? Beyond the fact that lying can be denoted in each person in different ways, the truth is that responds to specific objectives depending on the situation in which it occurs. As a result of this, below, we will explain the main reasons for lying:

• Sense of belonging: the idea of ​​changing speech or actions may be aimed at being part of a particular place or group. In some cases, people are looking for a site that gives them an identity. For this reason, lying is a resource that is usually used in these cases.
• Search for a benefit: people who lie to obtain a benefit for their lives. Sometimes human beings find it necessary to appeal to a lie instead of responding with the truth.
• Distrust of people: Those who feel a lack of security and uncertainty regarding others lie to protect themselves from possible harm and danger in the social environment. In this article you will see how to manage uncertainty.
• Fear of rejection: People with fear of being rejected, both for physical qualities and personality, can use lies. In effect, we lie to feel accepted by society.
• Family mandates: The members of the family environment are the main reference that a person has while growing up. If people lie regularly in their immediate environment, there is a good chance that the person will adopt lying as a pattern of behavior.
• Low self-esteem: Lack of self-love and insecurities can lead someone to lie to prevent other people from seeing what they really are like. Discover how to overcome insecurity in this article.
• Avoidance of punishments: When someone carries out an action for which they know they should be punished, they may resort to a lie to avoid said consequence.
• Mental disorders: in specific cases, the use of lying may correspond to the presence of some mental disorder. However, the diagnosis must be made by a mental health professional who evaluates the clinical conditions of each person.

To better understand why we lie, it is necessary to mention in which specific situations this resource is used most. Below, we will provide some examples of the most common lies people say:

• Fail an exam: a student has failed an exam at school. To avoid the punishment provided by her parents, you could tell them that she got a high grade.
• To be unfaithful: A man has been unfaithful to his wife, given that he has a lover, however, he decides not to share this information with his partner so that she does not suffer heartbreak.
• Lying about one’s own abilities: when a person says they know how to do something, like swimming or fighting, but in reality they don’t know how to do it. In this case, people lie to look good in front of others.

This article is merely informative, at PsychologyFor we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

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