The Psychology of Secrets || Michael Slepian
The Psychology Podcast
The Concept of Secrecy and its Evolution
Secrecy is defined as the intentional withholding of information from one or more individuals. Not everything unknown to others is a secret, only if intentionally kept hidden. The ability to keep secrets stems from the capacity to understand others' minds and recognize differences in knowledge. Evidence suggests that even chimpanzees can conceal objects and actions from others, showing that humans are not the only ones capable of secrecy. Language plays a significant role in evolving the concept of secrecy, allowing for more sophisticated ways of keeping secrets as individuals develop a better understanding of the minds of others. The skill of keeping secrets starts developing in early childhood as children learn to differentiate between their knowledge and others' knowledge.
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