Differentiating everyday lies: A typology of lies based on beneficiary and motivation

Abstract We propose a typology of lies that distinguishes six kinds of these in terms of beneficiary (self, Pareto, other) and motivation (protective vs beneficial). We gathered data from a daily diary study ( N  = 81). Distinct individual differences were related to specific types of lies, showcasing the importance of distinguishing between types of lies. Low self-esteem, high anxiety, and high Machiavellianism involved frequent use of beneficial lies. Conversely, protective lies were negatively related to Machiavellianism and positively to empathy. Self-oriented beneficial lies were related positively to Machiavellianism in particular. Empathy was related to the use of other-oriented protective lies. These results give new insight into the processes that trigger lies and help to integrate and structure research on lying.