Why Individuals Lie Throughout Each Life Stage – Society & Culture Assignment Help

Assignment Task

INTRODUCTION

A lie can be defined as“a false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive”1 . Why do we, as individuals, lie? A study conducted by the University of Massachusetts estimates that 60% of all adults could not have a 10-minute conversation without lying at least once. This research finding stands in correlation to statistics from the Institute of Child Study at Toronto University, showing that 90% of children have grasped on to the concept of lying before they are the age of four.

My topic of discussion was developed when I was confronted with the realism of the regularity of lying in the everyday lives of an individual. My personal concern on the impact of lying on persons of society has prompted me to further investigate the notion of lying and the reasons it is so prominent in the lives of many individuals. Throughout this Personal Interest Project (PIP), I intend to interpret the views of both the community and myself through a variety of methodologies, in order to further reinforce the reason individuals choose to lie, and the impact it has on our respective society.

The central hypothesis seeks to find out the basis of why individuals lie throughout each life stage; childhood, adolescence and adulthood. This PIP aims to prove that lying has a negative impact on an individual’s personal identity by discussing why lying is so ingrained within society. The focus will primarily be on the three stages of lying: Fear, Manipulation and Pride. In doing this, the differing nature of lies throughout the life stages can be explored.

PROJECT LOG

Initially, I began brainstorming a few different possible ideas for this Personal Interest Project, which bought me closer to the concept of lying and how it impacts my daily life. I thought about the ideas and made the decision to continue with the topic of lying, which lead me to think about the continuity and change aspect of this project and how lies are continuous throughout every life stage. It all began very broadly and could potentially lead me in a number of directions, but with direct communication with other peers, and my Society and Culture teacher, I was able to proceed on. It was brought to my attention by the number of lies I told, especially when growing up, and it made me want to know more about the ways in which the lies I told adapted and changed with age. It did not take me much longer to realise that I would want to examine the different age groups and generations as a means of evaluating the difference in individual’s lies. Not only innocent lies as a child, but deviant or insecure adolescent lies and its continuation into adulthood.

During the first term, I began various researches on lying in children, as this was the main point of interest for me. I found a lot of statistics and valid data, which I intended to use in my central material. I chose my research methods, which at first consisted of a personal reflection on childhood lies, a questionnaire for teenagers and adults and lastly an interview with an adult. I also proposed a letter to which I sent to PIPPA in order to receive feedback in regards to my ideas and methodologies. When I received the all clear, I proceeded researching deeper into concepts useful within the PIP’s major sections.