Differentiating everyday lies: A typology of lies based on beneficiary and motivation

Katarzyna Cantarero, Wijnand A.P. Van Tilburg, Piotr Szarota

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

17 Citations (Scopus)
396 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

We propose a typology of lies that distinguishes six kinds of these in terms of beneficiary (self, Pareto, other) and motivation (protective vs beneficial). We gathered data from a daily diary study (N = 81). Distinct individual differences were related to specific types of lies, showcasing the importance of distinguishing between types of lies. Low self-esteem, high anxiety, and high Machiavellianism involved frequent use of beneficial lies. Conversely, protective lies were negatively related to Machiavellianism and positively to empathy. Self-oriented beneficial lies were related positively to Machiavellianism in particular. Empathy was related to the use of other-oriented protective lies. These results give new insight into the processes that trigger lies and help to integrate and structure research on lying.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)252-260
JournalPersonality and Individual Differences
Volume134
Early online date22 Jun 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Nov 2018

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