Younger and Older Adults' Health Lies to Close Others.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Lying is a common social behavior; however, there is limited research on lying about health and if this differs into later life. This study sought to explore age differences in the frequency of and motivations behind telling health-related lies and if lying differs within romantic and parent/child relationships.

Methods

Younger (N = 158) and older adults (N = 149) reported how often they told general health-related lies, how often they lied about health to their romantic partner and parent or adult child, and why they told health lies.

Results

Compared with older adults, younger adults lied more frequently to conceal sickness and pain as well as to feign sickness. Younger adults also told more health lies to their parent than their romantic partner, but old

SUBMITTER: Frias JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11465404 | biostudies-literature | 2024 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature