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Self-protection -

The most common reason for lying is self-protection. There might be a real consequence that the person is trying to defend themselves against.

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Avoiding disappointment -

A person might lie in order to avoid disappointing another person or even themselves. The uncomfortable feeling of disappointment justifies the deception.

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Sense of superiority -

People with big egos tend to lie in order to maintain their superiority. They also do it to make themselves look better than others.

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Feeling intimidated -

Some people might lie because they feel intimidated by others. The feeling of inferiority is so uncomfortable that they lie to cover it up.

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Vindictiveness -

Some people lie intentionally to cause harm to a person they feel harmed them initially. It's a way of getting back at them.

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Manipulation -

A common trait with abusive people is that they constantly lie in order to continue their manipulation. If the truth came out, the abused might leave.

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Using a cover -

There are some people who pretend to be something they're not by wearing a mask. And to maintain their appearances, they lie to cover up their real self.

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Procrastination -

Procrastination is a subtle lie in that the person knows they should be doing something, but is intentionally putting it off. Basically, you're lying to yourself.

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Boredom -

There are some people who like drama in their lives. So, sadly for everyone involved, they lie to stir it up and watch everyone's reactions.

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Attention-seeking -

There are people who lie just to get the attention of other people. The sad thing is most of them don't know what to do when the attention actually is on them.

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Habit -

Bad habits can form after a constant period of repetition. This is true for some lies that are said over and over, making the person a compulsive liar.

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Curiosity -

A very childlike behavior, sadly some adults don't grow out of it. Instead, they lie just to see what will happen, regardless of the harm it might cause.

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Fun -

Lying for some people is a form of private entertainment. For them, it's fun because they like to watch how others react.

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Avoiding consequences -

Some people tell lies to get out of trouble or avoid any consequences. This is especially common with children.

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Causing harm -

People who really want to harm others lie about who they are and what they're doing. This is a common tactic with fraudsters.

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Control -

Unfortunately, sometimes people lie to be in control. In an effort to control another person's behavior or opinion, a lie is told.

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Avoiding accountability -

In order to avoid accountability, some might hide themselves or things, and then lie about it. This is commonly done in conjunction with addictive behavior.

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Desire -

There are some people who want a lie to be the truth. They actually have a deep desire to believe their misperception.

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Seeking sympathy -

Similar to attention-seeking, a person might lie to try to get sympathy from others. They might be lying about past or current events.

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Laziness -

A lie might occur when a person is being lazy. They might not want to do their work or even go to the gym, so they lie about it.

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Protecting others -

Some lies are meant to protect others. In some cases, a lie is told to take on responsibility in an effort to help someone else.

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Indifference -

When a person doesn't really care about a point or issue, they might lie about it and not see anything wrong with their deception.

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Perception -

Some people believe so deeply in their own lie that they even become pathological liars. Their perception of reality is not accurate, so in their eyes it's not a lie.

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Elevating one's self -

To elevate themselves to another person's level of work ethic or perfectionism, for example, someone might lie to lift themselves up.

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Impressing others -

As a way of trying to impress others, a person might lie about who they are, what they've done, or where they're going. This behavior is often used to gain popularity on social media.

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Denial -

There are some people who don't want something or a situation to exist. They'll deny the reality, which can be an intentional lie. Sometimes it's unintentional.

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Minimization -

In order to reduce the damage, harm, or consequences that might otherwise occur, a person minimizes the truth in their lie.

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Maximization -

And on the opposite end, a person might exaggerate their lie. This can end up making things worse than what they really are.

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Coveting -

When a person wants what others have, they covet the item or person, and even lie about their jealousy. This is an extremely toxic behavior.

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Suppression -

As a way to cover up a problem, a person might suppress the truth. This is an intentional lie, which can be either good or bad, depending on the situation.

Sources: (Everyday Health) (Health.com) (Psych Central)

See also: History's most notorious lies, hoaxes, and deceptions 

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