5 scientific facts about lying that are hard to believe

Anatomy of Lies: From Childhood Mischief to Adult Manipulation

1. A person learns to deceive as early as 2-3 years old

We take our first steps in the world of deception much earlier than one might imagine. In an experiment where toddlers aged 2-3 years were asked not to peek at a toy in the absence of an adult, the results were astonishing: 75% of two-year-olds honestly admitted to breaking the rules, while among three-year-old "rule-breakers," already 80% chose to lie. However, the little ones still couldn't maintain their lies - when asked about which toy was in front of them, most immediately revealed the truth, forgetting about their cover story.

The reason for this leap in the ability to lie lies in the development of executive brain functions. To lie convincingly, a child needs to suppress the truthful answer, come up with an alternative, and keep their version in memory - skills that are actively forming at this age.

In another study, three-year-olds hid candy in one of two cups while the experimenter wasn't looking. When the adult asked where the treat was, children faced a dilemma: tell the truth and give up the candy or lie and keep it for themselves. Initially, almost all honestly pointed to the correct cup, but after just 10 days, most had mastered the strategy of deception. Interestingly, children with a developed "theory of mind" - those who understood that other people cannot know their thoughts - learned to lie fastest.

By 4 years of age, children already realize that the other person may not have the same information: "Mom didn't see me take the candy - so I can lie." And by 7-8 years, they become true masters of deception, capable of maintaining complex stories without contradictions.

2. Men lie more often, women - less frequently and more reluctantly

Lying has no gender boundaries, but research shows interesting differences. Men do resort to deception more often, while women prefer to tell the truth, even if it doesn't benefit them.

The key difference lies in motivation. Men tend to lie for personal gain - in experiments where they could get more money or resources through deception, they more often chose this path. Scientists attribute this to increased confidence in their ability to lie convincingly. Women, on the contrary, more often doubt their "talent for deception" and prefer not to take risks.

Notably, men also more often become victims of self-deception, exaggerating their own achievements. This correlates with higher levels of narcissism, which statistically occurs more frequently in men. Women usually evaluate themselves more critically, which reduces the likelihood of self-deception.

However, it's important to remember that these differences are statistical, not absolute. One cannot claim that all men are pathological liars and all women are models of honesty. Individual personality traits play a much more significant role than gender.

3. The more often we tell untruths, the easier it becomes to do so in the future

The first serious lie is usually accompanied by physical discomfort: heart pounding