The costs of lying: Consequences of telling self-centered and other-oriented lies for the self-esteem and affect of liars
Deceiving others is generally viewed as immoral. However, most people lie on a daily basis. This paper examines the psychological consequences for the liars themselves, as they are participating in what is generally perceived as immoral behavior. More specifically, this paper focuses on the effects of self-centered and other-oriented lying on the liar’s self-esteem and affect. We tested 1) if lying, in comparison to telling the truth, lowers liars’ self-esteem and positive affect and 2) if these effects are stronger for self-centered than other-oriented lying, as self-centered lying is generally seen as more immoral. In total, three cross-sectional and one longitudinal studies were conducted (N = 783). Results showed that lying decreased people’s self-esteem and increased negative affect, regardless of the type of lie. Furthermore, lying on a given day decreased people’s self-esteem compared to their self-esteem on the previous day and to their average level of self-esteem.