The truth about the lies we tell
A look at the psychology behind the untruths of everyday life BY ESHANI MEHTA AND ALEXANDER XU
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round 60 percent of people cannot go 10 minutes without saying an average of 2.92 inaccurate lies, according to a study published in the Journal of Basic and Applied Psychology. Whether it’s a minor untruth or a complex fabrication that impacts many people, lying has become an important facet of our day-to-day lives. Children are taught from a very young age that honesty is the best policy. At school, students are expected to maintain certain standards, one of which is being truthful. But over the course of a lifetime, many have discovered the various bene�its of lying, which include being able to bail people out of awkward situations, spare the feelings of others, strengthen alliances, enhance social standing and avoid trouble. Additionally, lying may also boost an individual’s self-esteem. “Lying has a perceived value to some people even though we know that largely, it’s something that the other person doesn’t appreciate and isn’t going to be pleased if they discovered that you lied,” said school psychologist Brittany Stevens. “It’s risk-taking behavior, and you gamble that the chances of you being discovered are lower than the perceived payoff of doing the behavior.” “People lie to protect their pride in a way,” said sophomore Anney Tuo. “If you lie, you cover up your �laws or something you want to hide from people so it makes you appear less �lawed.” Lies have almost become a necessity in the daily lives of many. People often lie to make themselves seem more socially adequate. “We do that as humans in our interactions with other people as trying to gauge what is going to be the most prosocial response,” said Stevens. “I think sometimes we lie socially because of social graces, because we don’t want to dump out our bad feelings on to somebody who we perceive as not ready to hear the honest answer.” Additionally, lying varies between different groups of people. The research of Robert Feldman, a psychologist from the University of Massachusetts, shows that men lie no more than women, but they tend to lie to make themselves look better, while women are more likely to lie to make the other person feel better. People also tend to lie more to certain �igures. According to the book “The Day America Told The Truth,” 86 percent of people lie regularly to their parents. This is followed by 75 percent of people lying to friends and 73 percent of people lying to siblings. People also lie more in general to their coworkers and acquaintances than to strangers, according to a different study published in the Journal of Consumer Research. This is because telling the see LIES page 11
SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY - EPIC
SPORTS//
Off the field: The struggle of trophy child athletes BY RAKSHA NARASIMHAN AND SOPHIA LING
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ost student athletes do not step on the �ield thinking about how their sport will become something they have to play, breathe and live by for the remainder of their childhood. But when they receive persistent pressure from parents to succeed athletically, their lives go from being a normal, education-oriented childhood to attending camps, impressing college coaches, staying in shape and constantly striving to be the best at their sport. Student athletes who excel in their sport often feel like they need to concentrate all of their efforts toward improving. This drive can take an enormous toll on their social lives, consuming them and not allowing them to spend time on other hobbies or friends.
Familial relationships can take major hits due to these time constraints and cause con�lict between parents and children. “I would practice softball with my dad everyday after school. I never had time to go out with my friends or go to dances, and sleepovers were a rare occasion,” said student Kanae Sumida, whose name has been changed to protect her privacy and safety at home. “I would tell him I would want to quit, but he would put me down until I took back what I said. He was more verbal, but there are times where he got so frustrated that he’d throw the ball at me when I wasn’t looking, or pitch the ball directly at me when I wasn’t hitting well enough.” Although this pressure is often very effective at pushing athletes to improve, that success comes at a cost.
“In an effort to help their child succeed in big ways, the pressures of sport stardom can turn a parent into an irrational, striving, ego-driven guardian-business manager for their child,” said Bill Cole, a sports psychologist and founder of the International Mental Game Coaching Association. “As a child star makes milestones, records, history and receives public notice, there is great pressure [for them] to continue their successful ways.” Often, parents see children as an extension of themselves--they attempt to live out the lost dreams of their youth through their kids. Being successful in sports often entails a successful future through developing talent, getting scouted into teams and earning scholarships.
see TROPHY KIDS page 14
FASHION CHALLENGE //pg. 7
SHIVATEJA VEMIREDDY - EPIC