I managed a score of 55.56% in the lying test. The score was rated as satisfactory, which was worse than I had expected. I had hoped to be able to identify lies more easily. However, the current score suggests that I would not be in a position to identify an individual who was deceiving me.
Why Do People Lie? Which Motivational Theory Explains Lying?
People lie because of various reasons. Mainly, the lies are intended to provide them with a certain advantage which they may not have access to if they told the truth. The Maslow hierarchy of needs theory can be used to explain the reasons behind people’s inclinations towards lying. Based on the premise, people may lie for five major reasons. The reasons include physiological needs. In physiological needs, people may lie to acquire basic needs such as food and shelter. Equally, people may lie when their safety and security is in jeopardy. The security and safety elements range from financial security to health related safety (Healy, 2016). Belonging to a specific group of individuals in the society may inspire an individual to lie. As human beings seek love, they may be compelled to assume a character that appeals to their peers at the expense of the truth regarding their characters. Notably, if an individual feels threatened, they will be likely to embrace a character that promotes their self-esteem (Healy, 2016). Some of the self-esteem components include prizes, status and respect. Individuals who opt to lie for this reason opt to trade truth to achieve a role or component that augments their self-esteem. Therefore, people with low esteem are more likely to lie than is the same for their counterparts. Lastly, people may lie to achieve self-actualization. If people feel that that there are barriers hindering them from achieving ultimate success, they will lie to overcome such impositions.
The Role of the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous System in Lying
Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems play a critical role in regulating an individual’s lying patterns. Notably, individuals may lie to protect themselves against certain consequences which may cause them pain. The sympathetic nervous system facilitates such initiative. Essentially, the nervous system inspires the fight-or-flight response. People lie to prevent themselves from enduring negative consequences. A lie inspired by the sympathetic nervous system may be unconscious. Alternatively, the parasympathetic nervous system acts to prevent the manifestation of lies. The system relaxes the body and thus mitigating the pressure to lie.
Information I learned from Pamela Meyer and on whether I agree or disagree with her Theories.
I learned certain concepts from Pamela Meyer’s speech. Primarily, I agree with the idea that lying can only be achieved if there are willing participants who consist of both the lying individual and the victim. Thus, lying is a cooperative act (Meyer, 2011). It is true that at some point I got lied to, then I was a willing partner in the initiative. Equally, I agree that lying is an attempt to manifest an imagination and connect with the unreal. I also agree with the sentiment that we are covertly against lying. Every society tends to shun lying. To discern lies, it is also true that an individual would be called to reflect on both the verbal and non-verbal aspects (Meyer, 2011). In lying, people tend to assume physical actions which may be different from their normal practices.
References
Healy, K. (2016). A Theory of Human Motivation by Abraham H. Maslow (1942)–reflection. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 208(4), 313-313.
Meyer, Pamela. (2011). How to Spot a Liar. TED. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/pamela_meyer_how_to_spot_a_liar/up-next
