Answer and Explanation: Lying is a learned behavior rather than an innate behavior. We know this because small children are still cognitively developing their ability to recognize that other people are different from them complete with inner thoughts and different perspectives.
Lying can be both inherited and learned. Some people may be born with a predisposition to lie more than others, either due to genetic factors or early childhood experiences. However, everyone learns how to lie at some point in their life.
Lying is a normal part of child development, but when it is treated harshly, the impulse to lie is reinforced and can continue into adulthood.
Lying refers to making a false statement to deceive others intentionally, often for some form of personal gain. Nonpathological lying is commonplace and not a sign of any disorder. A person who pathologically lies will lie compulsively and without any clear benefit to themselves.
Most parents want to raise their children to be honest adults, so the first time that they catch their child in a lie it may come as an unpleasant surprise. But psychologists' research has found that lying is a normal part of childhood. In fact, it's a developmental milestone.
In some cases, pathological lying can be a result of childhood trauma, such as neglect or abuse. People who did not get their needs met as children may begin lying as a coping mechanism, in an attempt to get the love and reassurance they crave.
Abused or traumatized children may lie to cover up the abuse, lie about their experiences, or fear telling the truth to adults. Anxiety. Children with anxiety-related diagnoses may lie because they are worried about the consequences of telling the truth. Low self-esteem.
Lying can be a symptom of some mental health conditions according to a 2021 review, including borderline personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder. People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may lie to mask compulsions or stop friends and family from worrying about their behaviors.
We lie to save face, to avoid hurting other people's feelings, to impress others, to shirk responsibility, to hide misdeeds, as a social lubricant, to prevent conflict, to get out of work, and many more reasons.
The psychology of lying can be a complicated concept because people lie for different reasons. Some people lie in an attempt to avoid punishment, while others might lie to avoid hurting someone else's feelings. Some people might simply lie out of impulse. In some situations we might lie for a combination of reasons.
The ICD-10 disorder Haltlose personality disorder is strongly tied to pathological lying. It has been shown through lie detector tests that PF (pseudologia fantastica) patients exhibit arousal, stress, and guilt from their deception.
Understanding what causes the lying is the only way to change a pathological liar's behavior. Treatment, which can include psychotherapy, medication, or both, will depend on whether or not the pathological lying is a symptom of an underlying psychiatric condition.
When people lie and they are confronted with evidence that contradicts those lies, they may change their story or deny the truth altogether. They may also try to manipulate others to maintain their false story. Blaming others for their lies. They may try to deflect blame or shift responsibility onto others.
Children who lied convincingly had a higher verbal IQ, heightened abilities to see the world through others' eyes, and were also generally better adjusted socially.
"Lying can be a coping mechanism for trauma for both adults and children, because trauma sufferers sometimes don't feel safe enough to tell the truth," said psychotherapist Lillian Rishty, L.C.S.W., who owns NYC Therapy Group in midtown Manhattan.
However, of the most common motives for telling lies, avoiding punishment is the primary motivator for both children and adults. Other typical reasons include protecting ourselves or others from harm, maintaining privacy, and avoiding embarrassment, to name a few.
Although pathological liars may be able to love someone, it is often difficult for them to maintain an honest and healthy relationship. This can result in toxic relationships that cause stress and hurt to their partners.
Even repetitive lying to a partner can be a form of abuse, since a survivor may begin to doubt their own experiences and instincts, becoming brainwashed into believing anything their abuser says.
[color-box] Natural and logical Consequences for lying: What stems naturally from a child lying is that it erodes trust between parent and child. Therefore, this can be easily explained to a child. To extend it further, a logical consequence would be removing freedoms that could erode trust further.
Sometimes, compulsive lying is connected to a mental health condition, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, or borderline personality disorder (BPD).