Psychological reasons why people lie
Self-protection -
The most common reason for lying is self-protection. There might be a real consequence that the person is trying to defend themselves against.
Feeling intimidated -
Some people might lie because they feel intimidated by others. The feeling of inferiority is so uncomfortable that they lie to cover it up.
Vindictiveness -
Some people lie intentionally to cause harm to a person they feel harmed them initially. It's a way of getting back at them.
Manipulation -
A common trait with abusive people is that they constantly lie in order to continue their manipulation. If the truth came out, the abused might leave.
Using a cover -
There are some people who pretend to be something they're not by wearing a mask. And to maintain their appearances, they lie to cover up their real self.
Boredom -
There are some people who like drama in their lives. So, sadly for everyone involved, they lie to stir it up and watch everyone's reactions.
Attention-seeking -
There are people who lie just to get the attention of other people. The sad thing is most of them don't know what to do when the attention actually is on them.
Habit -
Bad habits can form after a constant period of repetition. This is true for some lies that are said over and over, making the person a compulsive liar.
Fun -
Lying for some people is a form of private entertainment. For them, it's fun because they like to watch how others react.
Avoiding consequences -
Some people tell lies to get out of trouble or avoid any consequences. This is especially common with children.
Causing harm -
People who really want to harm others lie about who they are and what they're doing. This is a common tactic with fraudsters.
Control -
Unfortunately, sometimes people lie to be in control. In an effort to control another person's behavior or opinion, a lie is told.
Seeking sympathy -
Similar to attention-seeking, a person might lie to try to get sympathy from others. They might be lying about past or current events.
Protecting others -
Some lies are meant to protect others. In some cases, a lie is told to take on responsibility in an effort to help someone else.
Indifference -
When a person doesn't really care about a point or issue, they might lie about it and not see anything wrong with their deception.
Denial -
There are some people who don't want something or a situation to exist. They'll deny the reality, which can be an intentional lie. Sometimes it's unintentional.
Coveting -
When a person wants what others have, they covet the item or person, and even lie about their jealousy. This is an extremely toxic behavior.
Suppression -
As a way to cover up a problem, a person might suppress the truth. This is an intentional lie, which can be either good or bad, depending on the situation.