Bad at fibbing? Try out the classic ‘competing agenda white lie’
The article discusses the concept of white lies and their role in maintaining social relationships. Clinical psychologist Alex Mottee explains that these lies are often told to avoid conflict and promote social cohesion. He suggests that effective white lies should be close to the truth and advises against extravagant fabrications.
- ▪White lies are often used to maintain relationships and social cohesion.
- ▪Effective white lies should be close to the truth and not extravagant.
- ▪Prolific white liars may develop issues in adult relationships due to a lifetime of white lies.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","dateModified":"2026-05-21T19:00:00Z","datePublished":"2026-05-21T19:00:00Z","description":"The key to a successful white lie is remembering why we tell them in the first place.","headline":"Bad at fibbing? Try out the classic ‘competing agenda white lie’","keywords":"Good Weekend, How to","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jonathan…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Sydney Morning Herald.