I have always wondered why people lie, and today I had someone Facebook message me with a lie/rumor about someone I know. I know research says that everyone lies, even white lies count! And It is also stated that we learn to lie from a young age, yet when does this become a problem?
In this article Why Do People Lie? it mentions why people lie, what they lie about, and how to tell if someone is lying. It also talks about how it is easier to lie to a loved one, then someone they are just an acquaintance with. Now this didn't fit my situation, so I kept reading, and found this article Reasons People Lie had several reasons as to why people lie. One reason is to spare humiliation of ourselves or someone else. They used the example of telling someone that they did look good in a dress, when really they did not. Another reason is to be in good standing with friends or even to gain control. There is always the reason for a person to lie in order to avoid punishment, anger or fear, and some even lie to achieve recognition. Now I don't know if any of these reasons technically fit my situation, however they are quite interesting. I know that I have given some white lies in order to avoid hurting someone, however I do believe that the truth is better than any lie, but like it says above, everyone lies.
As I was thinking more about my situation, I feel like this person who lied is lacking in some social needs. According to our textbook it states that social needs arise and activate emotional and behavioral potential when need-satisfying incentives appear. Maybe its possible that in this particular social situation, their anger gave them incentive to behave by spreading lies, in hopes to change their current social situation, and thus to satisfy their social needs. In this case their social needs may include having power over the situation, or achievement. I feel like achievement would be a social need, because they are trying to achieve a certain role in their social atmosphere.
What are other reasons that people would lie? What are reasons that you have lied for in the past?
In this article Why Do People Lie? it mentions why people lie, what they lie about, and how to tell if someone is lying. It also talks about how it is easier to lie to a loved one, then someone they are just an acquaintance with. Now this didn't fit my situation, so I kept reading, and found this article Reasons People Lie had several reasons as to why people lie. One reason is to spare humiliation of ourselves or someone else. They used the example of telling someone that they did look good in a dress, when really they did not. Another reason is to be in good standing with friends or even to gain control. There is always the reason for a person to lie in order to avoid punishment, anger or fear, and some even lie to achieve recognition. Now I don't know if any of these reasons technically fit my situation, however they are quite interesting. I know that I have given some white lies in order to avoid hurting someone, however I do believe that the truth is better than any lie, but like it says above, everyone lies.
As I was thinking more about my situation, I feel like this person who lied is lacking in some social needs. According to our textbook it states that social needs arise and activate emotional and behavioral potential when need-satisfying incentives appear. Maybe its possible that in this particular social situation, their anger gave them incentive to behave by spreading lies, in hopes to change their current social situation, and thus to satisfy their social needs. In this case their social needs may include having power over the situation, or achievement. I feel like achievement would be a social need, because they are trying to achieve a certain role in their social atmosphere.
What are other reasons that people would lie? What are reasons that you have lied for in the past?
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