The Creativity of Lying: Divergent Thinking and Ideational Correlates of the Resolution of Social Dilemmas

Abstract

Lying is generally viewed negatively in Western society. Notwithstanding, it is a ubiquitous expedient for achieving social goals such as fostering harmony, sparing the feelings of friends, concealing wrongdoing, or exploiting others. Despite the wide use of deception, little research has explored what creativity may underlie it. Are novel liars the most effective at achieving their goals? Are those higher in divergent thinking or in ideation more effective in deception? As a preliminary attempt to chart the relationship between creativity and deception, 18 social dilemmas were written for which deception offered a desirable resolution; 89 college students responded to them, 21 males and 68 females. Their resolutions were coded for novelty, effectiveness in achieving the goals called for in the dilemmas in the short term, and their likely long-term damage on the liar–target relationship. A measure of divergent thinking was also administered, as was a measure of ideational tendencies (Ideational Behavioral Scale, Runco, Plucker, & Lim, 2001). Among the major findings, creative liars tended to be higher in divergent thinking and more ideational. Theoretical and practical implications are considered.

Notes

^a Scenario calls for antisocial resolution.

^b Scenario calls for pro-social resolution.

∗p < .05.

∗Italicized factor loading were interpreted.

∗p < .05.

∗p < .05.