Lying: Thoughts of an applied social psychologist

Abstract

Lies are considered bad, immoral, and reprehensible. Yet there is considerable evidence that prevarication is a ubiquitous feature of human social interaction. Psychologists, as well as others in society, often use deceptive techniques for the "social good," and there are a number of conditions under which lying is seen as acceptable. There are also numerous situations in which the "truth" cannot be discerned. This article argues that a psychology of lying needs to be developed that is focused on understanding how actors and observers come to view the world and particular situations, rather than on the detection and punishment of lying.