[jennie]

Lying

What do you think of this weblog entry on lying?

Hopefully, youngsters don't hear of this! I can imagine a child telling his/her parent, "G-d made me a liar." Of course, I'm sure this is another nature vs. nurture issue.

[LadyDragus]

<font color="blue"> yes this could be bad.. but how many adult can get away with this..
man makes one think... </font>

[DocJohn]

For pathological liars -- eg., those who do it so often they can't help themselves, it's an integral part of their lives, their identity, etc. -- I think this is pretty surprising (to me, anyways). It's an interesting behavior and while it's easy I think to point to some brain tumor or something, the view I subscribed to was this was learned behavior -- the person was reinforced early in their lives for lying (e.g., they found they could get away with stuff, rewards, etc.).

This study indicated their brain is wired a little differently from the rest of us, increasing their likelihood to lie and not feel any inhibition about doing so...

Interesting stuff....
DocJohn

[JustBen]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
DocJohn said:... the view I subscribed to was this was learned behavior -- the person was reinforced early in their lives for lying (e.g., they found they could get away with stuff, rewards, etc.).

This study indicated their brain is wired a little differently from the rest of us, increasing their likelihood to lie and not feel any inhibition about doing so...

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I don't think this study invalidates your original opinion, Doc. It may indeed show that liars' brains are structured differently, but it doesn't seem to address causation. It seems entirely possible that the brain structure changes as a result of the lying behavior. They'd have to do some very long-term studies where the brain structure and beahvior of very young children are examined to see if this is case of "wiring reinforcing behavior" or the other way around.

[allthegirls6]

its the chicken and the egg isnt it Just ben? Thats what i was thinking too.

all the girls

[SeptemberMorn]

So... the structure of my brain was one way as a teenager and a wife for the first time... because if I told the truth, I wasn't believed but if I lied I was...

And when I divorced my first husband and SWORE to myself to stop lying and I did... Did my brain restructure itself first or did I restructure it because I stopped lying??

As a child, I was taught that lying is a "sin." Yet, my mother never believed me if I told the truth... so I resorted to making up stories to satisfy her. Mixed messages there!

After a few months of being married to my first husband, I realized he would rather believe a way out, stretched out of shape distortion of what really happened than to believe the simple truth. Same as my mother. I didn't like doing it with either person. It meant my survival.

So... was it my brain or was it my inborn integrity????

[LadyDragus]

sept it could have been a little bit of both ?

one will never know..