When does psychologist Emma Levine say people think it is okay to lie?

Emma Levine of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business studies prosocial lies, meaning lies told to help someone else. Her research finds people endorse deception most when it spares feelings and the truth could bring no improvement or long-term benefit. Lies told to help others are often seen as ethical and can even raise trust. Paternalistic lies that take away someone's choice tend to backfire, although dementia, where autonomy is already limited, is treated as a grayer case.

• Selfish lies such as cheating or covering a transgression almost always damage trust.
• Lying about feelings, like a server's cheerful smile, is judged more acceptable than lying about facts.
• In a three-day study with Taya Cohen of Carnegie Mellon, people found full honesty more enjoyable and connecting than they expected.

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on Hidden Brain (2026-09-14). Read the whole episode summary →

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