In conversations, there is a choice between asking for the full truth or allowing the other person to withhold information. An example from a company called Gong illustrates this, where they have an expression 'no sugar' for direct feedback and 'a little sugar' for a softer approach. The speaker suggests that in life, there are occasions where being honest is important and others where diplomacy may be the preferred approach.
Why do we tell kids that a fairy will give them cash in exchange for their teeth? How should we talk to them about scary things in the world? And is Mike one of the greatest operatic tenors of all time?
- RESOURCES:
- "Parenting by Lying," by Peipei Setoh, Petrina Hui Xian Low, Gail D. Heyman, and Kang Lee (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2024).
- "Should You Always Tell Your Kids the Truth? It Depends," by Laura Wheatman Hill (CNN, 2021).
- "Parenting by Lying in Childhood Is Associated With Negative Developmental Outcomes in Adulthood," by Peipei Setoh, Siqi Zhao, Rachel Santos, Gail D. Heyman, and Kang Lee (Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2020).
- "The Santa Lie," by Melinda Wenner Moyer (2012).