Men

Edel Ennis and colleagues define lying as a message that one gives to another by which they are deliberately deceiving them. Current research on the prevalence of lying in the United States is inconclusive. One school of thought proposes that lying is natural to the human condition. In this sense, lying is thought of as a frequent and fundamental part of everyday life. Others view lying and deceptive behavior in general as a threat to the moral fabric of society. Societies potentially [Page 659]rise and fall on the success or failure of many to adhere to a set of real or perceived moral codes. Researchers continue in their efforts to verify the reality of these and other defining characteristics of lying.

Research indicates that 91 percent of the human population tells lies on a regular basis, and that many individuals engage in at least 13 major lies within any given week. People in these situations don't want to lie, but sometimes they are caught up in situations in which lying is the better choice of two evils. The following examples are common situations in which many individuals have engaged in lying:

A wife asks her husband to comment on her new hairdo. While in truth he may think it hideous, to keep the peace and remain in her good graces, he tells her, “It looks great, honey.”

A child has a starring singing role in the school play. Her parents see that the child is excited and that she puts much effort into her preparation for the big event. However, while listening to their daughter rehearse her song, her parents comes to the startling realization that the child can't carry a tune. The parents are faced with a difficult choice: hurt the child's feeling by telling her she can't sing, or continue to offer encouragement by telling a little white lie. “Oh baby, you sound great. You're going to be a hit,” the parents reply.

A homeless individual approaches a man on the street, asking if he has some change to spare. The man is faced with a mild dilemma. He knows he has some change in his pocket; however, he hesitates. For whatever reason, he doesn't want to give the homeless person money. He is forced to choose from his three options: keep walking, tell the homeless person the truth, or lie, saying, “Sorry, I don't have any money on me today.”

In this sense, lying and deception appear to be normal to the human condition, which raises the question: Do men lie more than women? To many, this question is irrelevant; everyone lies, so what is the distinction between men and women who knowingly or unknowingly practice the art of self-deception? Yet, a growing body of research suggests that men lie more than women.