However, too often, the shadow part of the personality wishes not to know. In this way, it can be a deceiver, telling stories ...

Self-deception can hurt the one who is in denial, and others. It can come across as being willfully obstinate, not caring about the people around them. Sometimes, it seems that the person deceiving ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Mark Travers writes about the world of psychology. Have you ever been in scenarios where these thoughts occurred to you, but deep ...

People often cheat to win money, get prizes, or beat others. But what if there’s nothing to gain except feeling good about yourself? Would people still bend the rules just to feel a bit smarter, more ...

Have you ever lied to yourself or convinced yourself that a harmful habit or something counterproductive or ill-advised is acceptable? Not everyone likes to admit it, but at times, our ego takes us ...

Renowned author Dostoevsky believed self-deception, not external forces, fuels human suffering and moral decay. He argued ...

When given the opportunity, individuals will cheat to feel smarter or healthier, engaging in diagnostic self-deception to convince themselves that their performance is due to their ability and not the ...

As a clinical psychologist deeply interested in lying and self-deception, the most common questions I get from readers are about romantic relationships. Questions like: How can I trust that my partner ...