Personality Traits Associated with Various Forms of Lying
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RESEARCH IN PROGRESS
Personality Traits Associated with Various Forms of Lying Christian L. Hart1 • Rasheonia Lemon1 • Drew A. Curtis2 • James D. Griffith3
Received: 14 May 2019 / Accepted: 1 September 2019 Ó National Academy of Psychology (NAOP) India 2020
Abstract In this study, we explored the relationship between personality traits and the tendency to lie. Specifically, we examined the correlation between various forms of lying and the personality factors of self-esteem, openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism. We developed a lie scale that assessed the tendency to tell three types of lies: altruistic, self-serving, and vindictive. A total of 352 participants completed the lie scale, the Ten-Item Personality Inventory, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Self-esteem, openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness were negatively correlated with lying, while neuroticism was positively correlated with lying. Multiple regression analyses were used to determine the unique set of personality predictors for each type of lie. Keywords Deception Lie Personality Big five Self-esteem
Introduction Lying and other forms of deception are pervasive social behaviors that can inflict great harm but are also widely accepted and encouraged as instruments of social harmony & Christian L. Hart [email protected] 1
Department of Psychology and Philosophy, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX, USA
2
Department of Psychology and Sociology, Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX, USA
3
Department of Psychology, Shippensburg University, Shippensburg, PA, USA
(Bok, 1999; Campbell, 2001; Vrij, 2008). A lie can be viewed generally as a misleading manipulation of the truth, but it appears in many forms, such as fabrication, exaggeration, concealment, and omission (Bok, 1999; Campbell, 2001; Ekman, 1997; Masip, Garrido, & Herrero, 2004; Vrij, 2008). All lies are marked by a decision to deceive a receiver, all while attempting to conceal the deception (Bond & DePaulo, 2006; Ekman, 1988, 1997; Mahon, 2008; Masip, Garrido, & Herrero, 2004). Vrij (2008, p. 15) offered a more precise definition of a lie that is widely used in the deception literature. He defined a lie as ‘‘a successful or unsuccessful attempt, without forewarning, to create in another a belief which the communicator considers to be untrue.’’ People tell lies for many reasons. Altruistic lies are told to benefit others; these lies often appear as the little white lies people tell to spare another’s feelings by avoiding awkward or painful truths (e.g., ‘‘Yes, I do like your new haircut.’’; Hart, Curtis, Williams, Hathaway, & Griffith, 2014; Levine & Schweitzer, 2015). Antisocial or vindictive lies are told with the intent to do harm to others (Guthrie & Kunkel, 2013). For example, a person may spread false rumors or attempt to undercut a competitor with falsehoods. Self-serving lies are those told to gain advantage, avoid punishment, or to promote one’s status (Bok, 1999; DePaulo, Kashy, Kirkendol, Wyer, & Epstein, 1996;
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