Trust Me, Lying Is Good

That’s right and now we have scientific proof.  From Canada of all places, scientists studied of 1,200 children aged 2 to 17, finding that those who are able to lie have reached an important developmental stage.

Toddlers who tell lies early on are more likely to do well later, researchers claim.  The complex brain processes involved in formulating a lie are an indicator of a child’s early intelligence, they add.  Only 20% of two-year-olds tested in the study were able to lie. But at age four, 90% were capable of lying.  The rate increases with age to a peak at age 12.

The director of the Institute of Child Study at Toronto University, Dr Kang Lee, said: “Parents should not be alarmed if their child tells a fib. Their children are not going to turn out to be pathological liars. Almost all children lie.  It is a sign that they have reached a new developmental milestone.”

“Those who have better cognitive development lie because they can cover up their tracks.”  This was because they had developed the ability to carry out a complex juggling act which involves keeping the truth at the back of their brains.

Dr Kang tested the children’s honesty by telling them not to peek at a toy placed behind their backs while leaving the room.  He then monitored their reactions by video and returned to ask if they had turned around, checking their responses against the recording.

And then you get really good at it like the Brits…

In a poll of 3,000 people, researchers found that the average British man tells three lies every day, that’s equivalent to 1,092 a year.  However the average woman appears more honest, lying 728 times a year – around twice a day.

Mothers are the people mostly likely to be lied to, says the Science Museum who commissioned the survey.
25% per cent of men say they’ve lied to their mother, but only 20% of women admit to having lied to their mother.  In comparison, only 10% of people said they are likely to lie to their partner.

MEN’S TOP 10 LIES
1.  I didn’t have that much to drink
2.  Nothing’s wrong, I’m fine
3.  I had no signal
4.  It wasn’t that expensive
5.  I’m on my way
6.  I’m stuck in traffic
7.  No, your ass doesn’t look big in that
8.  Sorry, I missed your call
9.  You’ve lost weight
10.  It’s just what I’ve always wanted

Concerning the kind of lies we tell, men said that they most often lie to their partner about their drinking habits. “I didn’t have that much to drink” is men’s most popular lie.  Whereas women use the line, “Nothing’s wrong, I’m fine” most often to hide their true feelings.

“It’s just what I’ve always wanted” is the tenth most likely lie to be told to a loved one by either men or women, suggesting that men and women are quite discerning when it comes to buying presents for each other.

WOMEN’S TOP 10 LIES
1.  Nothing’s wrong, I’m fine
2.  I don’t know where it is, I haven’t touched it
3.  It wasn’t that expensive
4.  I didn’t have that much to drink
5.  I’ve got a headache
6.  It was on sale
7.  I’m on my way
8.  Oh, I’ve had this ages
9.  No, I didn’t throw it away
10. It’s just what I’ve always wanted

Women are most likely to feel guilty after telling a lie. 82% say it eats away at their conscience, compared to just 70% of men.  Is there such a thing as an acceptable lie? 84% of people think there is. Three quarters of those surveyed believe it’s alright to lie if it’s to save someone’s feelings.

When it comes to the quality of the lie, 55% of Brits think women are the better liars, even though they tell fewer lies.  The survey found that 71% of people think it is fine to protect someone by telling a lie, and 57% would be happy to fib if they didn’t like a gift they’d been given.

Katie Maggs, associate medical curator at the Science Museum, says the jury’s out as to whether lying is a result of our genes, evolution or our upbringing.  “Lying may seem to be an unavoidable part of human nature but it’s an important part of social interaction,” she says.