Why do we lie?

Lying. We might not want to admit it, but we do it regularly. Sometimes it is a little white lie that does not seem to hurt anyone. And at other times one of our lies can be a little more nefarious. We can even lie to ourselves at times. Why is this the case? Are lies all bad? Or are secrets just a normal part of life?

During Why Do We Lie? we will dive into the topic of lying and secrets through different lenses. We will watch the short documentary Tree of Lies, which focuses on the story behind the lies we tell. After, we will talk with a panel of experts:

-    Dr. Rianne Kok will talk about her research on lying. How are our first relationships affected by lying? And what are the consequences of the lies we are told from a young age? 
-    Dr. Ruth van der Hallen will tell us all about the science of secrets. Why do we keep them? And can they be unhealthy to keep? 
-    Raluca Lupaşcu is the director of Tree of Lies. What did she learn in the making of this documentary? What is the story behind a lie?

Tree of Lies focuses on a diverse group of people which share their lies, small or big. White lies, necessary lies, or lies to protect oneself or someone else. But also lies that cause pain and are hard to forgive or forget. When does lying turn toxic; where do we draw the line? And what do feelings of shame and guilt do to the liar him- or herself?
Raluca Lupaşcu | 26 min. | DOXY

This event is organized by Studium Generale and dr. Rianne Kok & dr. Ruth van der Hallen and part of the Fami-LIES project, funded by ERC under H2020 GA nr: 949041