Here's an interesting question a reader asked: is withholding information the same as lying?
It's the difference between active and passive deception. Withholding information is the suppression of truth rather than the expression of untruth that characterises a lie.
Sponsored
Both are designed to deceive, but withholding information makes a secret of the truth - it doesn't distort it. Lying depends on spoiling the truth, and so undermines the very basis of justice. Not that withholding information can claim any moral high ground: it still shares with the lie the intent to deceive.
But this assumes all deception is bad. A friend told me that when she and her husband go out for the evening, they wait until their three-year-old is asleep and the babysitter has
FAQs
Lying is only one of many forms of deception, which occurs anytime you knowingly allow someone to believe something that is not true. And, yes…lies of omission (intentionally withholding information) are deception, too. But, intent is a key ingredient here.
Is withholding the truth the same as telling a lie agree or disagree? ›
Thus, withholding information is distinct from lying. The speaker is “only” not informative enough, a fact of which the hearer must not be cognisant for the deception to succeed. Consequently, the hearer prototypically makes inferences resulting in his/her false belief that the speaker has indeed covertly communicated.
Why do people withhold information? ›
Withholding information is also known as knowledge hiding, or knowledge hoarding. A person who withholds information is consciously and intentionally holding back information by being vague, unclear or avoidant with colleagues as a means of establishing power over others.
What is the deception condition lying? ›
1.4.
According to the intention to deceive addressee condition of the most common definition of lying, lying requires that a person make an untruthful statement to another person with the intention that that other person believe that statement to be true. That is, there is more to lying than being untruthful.
Is hiding information the same as lying? ›
As said previously, a lie of omission is still a lie. Lying and hiding a truth are different things, but they may have the same intention. Lying is saying wrong information when you know it is wrong. The intention is to make a person think and behave in some specific manner.
Is withholding information a form of manipulation? ›
Withdrawal and Withholding
Another sign of emotional manipulation is if your partner withdraws from you. Maybe they give you the silent treatment if you are doing something they don't want you to do. They might withhold information, affection, or even sex to "punish" you, even for something insignificant.
Is withholding the truth gaslighting? ›
Withholding Information
One of the the 4 most common types of gaslighting is withholding information. This is when an abuser purposefully withholds specific information or details to make the victim doubt their perception of reality or memory.
What is the difference between lying and withholding? ›
The Fine Line Between Withholding Information and Lying
It's important first to understand the difference between withholding information and lying. Withholding information refers to not disclosing everything to your partner, while lying means intentionally telling them something that is not true.
What are the two arguments against lying? ›
Coercion and deception are the two ways of using others as mere means. Lies are therefore wrong in themselves, regardless of whether they are told with good intentions or bad. Kant condemns benevolent lies for exactly the same reason as mischievous or malicious ones.
What does a covert narcissist do withholding information? ›
Keeping people 'in the dark' (withholding information deliberately) is one of the narcissist's favourite tactics, because when others are second-guessing themselves or their reality, they become easier to control and manipulate.
However, the following are signs that could possibly be present if someone isn't telling the truth or they are withholding information:
- Avoiding eye contact.
- Being vague, or offering few details.
- Body language that is contradictory (such as saying "no" but nodding their head up and down)
Withholding critical information that purposely misleads the reader can be tricky at best and erodes trust at worst.
What mental illness believes their own lies? ›
According to mental health experts, many pathological and compulsive liars do believe the stories they're telling. They may have repeated their lies so often that they start to feel true. Pathological liars often live in a fantasy world they've constructed, in which their “truth” becomes reality.
What is delusional lying? ›
They sometimes seem to believe the lies they tell
A pathological liar tells lies and stories that fall somewhere between conscious lying and delusion. They sometimes believe their own lies. It's difficult to know how to deal with a pathological liar who may not always be conscious of their lying.
What are the 3 elements of deception? ›
- The sender must know the information is false.
- The sender must be transmitting the information on purpose.
- The sender must be attempting to make the receiver believe the information.
Withholding information
It may seem like an easy way out for some but it also ends up being the key cause of ruining a relationship over time. Withholding information from your significant other to hide an issue is lying by omission.
Is withholding information for one's advantage the same as lying in business? ›
Answer: Often it is the same. Lying and omission of details are similar. The debate would focus on the information withheld and the reasons for non-divulgence. It is a rare scenario that cannot be resolved through clear communication.
Is it Unethical to withhold information? ›
Except in emergency situations in which a patient is incapable of making an informed decision, withholding information without the patient's knowledge or consent is ethically unacceptable.
What is considered lying? ›
According to the intention to deceive the addressee condition, lying requires that a person make an untruthful statement to another person with the intention that that other person believe that untruthful statement to be true.
