“Why do people tell lies?”

Question: “Why do people tell lies?”
- Keywords:
  behaviour,
  fib,
  lie,
  lies
Asked by kapayaewh to David, Helen, Ian, rhysphillips, Sarah on 15 Jun 2011.
- Helen Fletcher answered on 14 Jun 2011:
  
  I don’t know. Or maybe I do know and am lying to you!!!
- Rhys Phillips answered on 14 Jun 2011:
  
  Usually to deceive one for a personal gain or benefit though occasionally the motive can be a good one (never tell a woman you don’t like what she’s wearing no matter what you really think – it doesn’t go down well…)!
- Ian van der Linde answered on 15 Jun 2011:
  
  It depends. Sometimes we tell lies because we don’t want to hurt people’s feelings (for example, if somebody asks if you like their new haircut and you think it’s horrible, you usually say it’s nice anyway!), and sometimes because we are trying to manipulate a sitation for our own benefit (for example, in a job interview we might say that we have more experience at something than we really do so that we can get the job!).

Question: “Why do people tell lies?”