Interesting Question

I think adults lie out of fear. Fear of getting caught, fear of people knowing who they really are etc.

The one thing I can't stand is a liar. Unfortuntely, I have know many adults who lie. Fortunately, I cut them ALL out of my life.

Hello, I get so upset with people who lie. I think that they do it for the attention they get for making a story exciting. I have a family member who did this all of my life. I think she did it to make others look bad and to make herself look good and sometimes to look like the victim.
K. K.

To avoid something - receiving pain (getting in trouble), or causing pain (hurting someone's feelings) generally.

Some people lie because they are mean or evil and like to cause trouble. Some people are delusional (like narcissistic, overly self centered, etc.) and lie to themselves, which causes them to lie to others.

The whole truth and nothing but the truth can be hurtful in many situations. We lie to live in a civilized society.

"How are you today?" "Fine!" Is that the "truth" or a "lie"??

Lying is a part of our sin nature. Nobody is immune from lying....the temptation to do it is there whether one knows it is wrong or not.

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I think it usually boils down to the same reasons for both kids and adults (at least normal, sane ones): they are scared to tell the truth or not proud of something they said or did. Scared of the consequences, unsure how things will be once the truth is told, worried about friendships and love and acceptance if they reveal something that makes them think they may not be a good friend or worthy of love and acceptance.

Though things called "little white lies" can just be to save someone's feelings or to hide information you don't want to share (like when someone oversteps boundaries with personal questions) but I don't think you are talking about those.

one is to avoid conflict.

There are many reasons people lie. People like my mom who do it just because they can, even if it's stupid and there's no reason. People lie to try to stay out of trouble, people lie so as not to hurt someone else's feelings, etc.

I have no idea. My MIL lies all the time. For stupid stuff too. Makes me crazy. Why oh why oh why?

What context do you mean? To their kids...to other adults?

I'll assume other adults...

I think sometimes it is a self esteem issue. They aren't happy with themselves so they embelish the truth to make things more interesting or the way they feel it should be.

Sadly I believe some people are so oblivious they even do it. Would that make them pathological?

My husband once had a friend that would tell many tall tales and the longer the story went on the more he contradicted what he said a few minutes earlier. It drove me nuts but on the other hand it gave me something to do while listening to him (dissecting what he said to find all the falsehoods...)

Because honesty was not addressed properly as a child.

They got used to telling lies when they were children. Their parents and friends believed them and the lies became a way of coping with life.

I don't think there is any difference in the reason kids lie and adults lie. Sometimes adults want to look cool, sometimes they don't want to face the consequences of the truth, and sometimes they just don't want to face the reality of their life. Yes, this could absolutely tie into self esteem issues too, but I think the reasons for lying are pretty much the same no matter what age!

They only time I really lie, is to not hurt someones feelings. I think. A lot of people lie because their lies make them look better and feel better about themselves. Some people lie to avoid conflict. All different reasons really.

There are bad lies, then there are little white lies. Little white lies save feelings, like if you get a present that you don't like, and they ask you if you like it, you can't say no, I don't like it. At least I can't, so I say a little white lie and say yes, I do. There's also a friend of my daughter's that calls all the time and wants her to have playdates every weekend and spend the night, and it gets to be too much. I can't tell her, no, we need a break from you this weekend, so I tell her we have plans, even if we don't. I call that a little white lie. Sometimes you have to do them to not hurt feelings.

I will tell my 6 and 4 year olds fibs to protect them from the world until they are old enough to understand what's going on. Rather then tell them that Mommy has a chronic pain condition, I just tell that I don't feel to good on days when the pain is really bad. I lie to keep birthday surprises a surprise. One of the hardest questions I had to answer was from my then 4 year old asking about what happened to Chelsea King and why the bad guy took her. We live only a few minutes from where she was kidnapped and murdered so the news was everywhere. There was no way I could tell him exactly what happened, so I had to fib and leave most of the details out.

My son asked me once when I caught him in a lie if I lie to my husband. I said yes, the only time I lie to Daddy is if I am keeping a surprise from him for his birthday or Christmas.

I think adults lie to each other for various reasons. Most stem from pride and laziness to admit the truth.

To avoid getting in trouble?

To "one up" someone else?

Insecure?

Because they are cowards.

now are you talking about adults lying to children or just lying in general. now i will fib to my daughter about things to my daughther about small things like santa, tooth fairy, etc. or why she cant go somewhere. however with adults i dont see the point in lying over things. this is how i see it- theres a time to lie and a time not to. ex- lying what you got your friend for her birthday (ok), telling her she looks great in a ugly outfit (not ok). lol

To make themselves feel better or to make a situation easier. E.g., 'hey, i'll lie because i don't want to hurt your feelings'.

to get their own way