‘Liar, Liar,’ How Often The Average Person Lies
We may hope that our interactions will be open and honest. But often, conversations can be sprinkled with lies. It’s something we often see from prominent public figures to friends and family. But how often does the average person lie?
In many research studies, they typically ask people to disclose their own lying activity, usually within a recent timeframe such as a day or week. But trusting liars to spill the truth about their lying habits? Well, that alone can lead to some inaccuracies.
Understanding The Practice of Lying
A psychologist, Bella DePaulo, did a study on how often people lie. It looked at how much lying happened when people talked in person. She studied two groups: students and community volunteers near the University of Virginia. The community members told about one lie each day, while the students told about two lies each day.
In 2002, a study performed by psychologist Robert Feldman at the University of Massachusetts found that 60 percent of people lied at least once during a 10-minute conversation, telling an average of two to three lies.
Psychology Today reported that children pick up lying behavior between the ages of two and five, and it is seen by some psychologists as a milestone of cognitive growth. Lots of lies are no big deal and are just said to avoid conflict or cheer someone up. But other lies, like wrongly accusing someone of a crime or lying to investors, can really pack on some consequences.
How Often Does the Average Person Lie?
According to Cross River Therapy, the average person lies four times in one day, totaling 1,460 lies each year. They also mentioned that men lie about six times a day on average. Meanwhile, women lie three times a day on average.
Take a look at some more interesting facts about lying here.
