Lying is a topic that people take a great interest in. It is one that brings large groups of people together to gossip and makes national television headlines. People discuss their lack of faith in politicians because “all politicians are liars.” Most people lack a great deal of trust in others due to the suspicion that anyone, at any moment, won’t be telling the truth. It’s easy not to trust and difficult to put faith in people because people have the capability to deceive.

While there are multiple types of liars, this article will only explore a liar in their infantile stage. This particular subtype is called the Rebellious Liar. These liars are typically teenagers, ages 13-18, due to the push for more freedom (Pickhardt, 2009). Most teenagers deceive in some way, to test their boundaries and to explore themselves. These liars are oftentimes nothing more than teenagers experimenting, and are nothing to worry about. However, if the problem persists without being controlled, it can lead to issues down the road.

What does it mean to be a Rebellious Liar? For the occasional lie, it can mean nothing but another phase in growing up. However, extended periods of many lies can indicate a dip in one extreme or another. Teenagers who were raised in an extremely lax environment, one with few rules and little or no punishment, can view lying as an easy route. Without parental backlash from being caught in a lie, there is little sense that it is wrong to do so.

On the opposite end of one extreme, there is the teen that grew up in a strict, over-bearing environment. Parents who tracked their child’s every move can develop an environment where their children feel forced to lie, in order to evade punishment. This is the most common starting point for rebellious liars, given that these are the teenagers who are most desperate for freedom from overbearing parental figures. Teens can begin to develop their lying capabilities until they’re caught in a web of their own lies (Hanrahan, 2015).

Rebellious liars are often disorganized. They typically don’t plan out a lie but rather lie in the heat of the moment. This makes them easy to be caught in a lie, because it takes a great deal of experience and care to remember both the truth and the lie. They are typically fueled by anger at some injustice they feel has been acted upon them- typically a lack of freedom. These liars are easily stressed out by their lies and, occasionally, feel such stress and guilt that they confess their lie without prompting. On the other hand, after lying to certain people for extended periods of time, they can begin to close themselves off from these specific people, in order to avoid the stress.

Lying will forever be an intriguing topic for the human mind to analyze. “Why did they lie?” people will inquire constantly, but I like to think about what a person’s lies say about them. Analyzing a person’s lies can lead to figuring out how they function as a person, and even aid in untangling an individual’s web of lies. Are you a parent living with a rebellious liar? Or, perhaps, do you believe you’re one yourself? Let me know what you think in the comments below. You’re welcome to email me through rachel.ward1217@gmail.com. In the next article I will explore another type of liar: Compulsive Liars.

Sources:

Hanrahan, Clare. Lying. (2015). Encyclopedia of Children’s Health. Retreived June 9, 2015. http://www.healthofchildren.com/L/Lying.html.

Pickhardt Ph. D, Carl E. Adolescent Lying: What it costs and what to do.(2009). Psychology Today. Retrieved June 9, 2015, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/surviving-your-childs-adolescence/200903/adolescent-lying-what-it-costs-and-what-do.