Why people lie — and how to tell if they are

We expect, for example, less honesty from politicians than from scientists. We have a vision of purity about those who are doing research, while we imagine that politicians will at least shade the truth about themselves in order to get elected. Why do we dislike liars, especially sociopaths, so much? It’s a matter of trust.

When a person lies, they have broken a bond – an unspoken agreement to treat others as we would like to be treated. Serious deception often makes it impossible for us to trust another person again.

Read the full article here: Why people lie — and how to tell if they are by Gail Saltz, TODAY, 1/31/2004.

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