Ever told a fib and watched it spiral?
A study has found that the more we lie, the less sensitive we are to dishonesty. Participants were asked to guess the number of pennies in a jar and share the answer with people in another room. When a reward was introduced, subjects lied to keep the reward from the other room, and their lies quickly escalated.
If we lie, the emotional response area of our brain is triggered – but this lessens every time we do it.
The study says, 'The findings uncover a biological mechanism that supports a 'slippery slope': what begins as small acts of dishonesty can escalate into larger transgressions.'
Be careful of that slippery slope with your fibs!