When It's Okay to Lie

When It's Okay to Lie

From Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

March 30, 2026 · 52 min

About this episode

Psychologist Emma Levine discusses the moral implications of lying and the circumstances under which it may be considered acceptable.

Should you tell a harsh truth if it will only cause pain? Or is it sometimes kinder to keep someone in the dark? Psychologist Emma Levine explores the unwritten rules that guide when people feel it’s acceptable to lie — and what those choices reveal about trust, harm, and our deepest moral values.

People in this episode

Host: Shankar Vedantam

Guest: Emma Levine

Topics covered

  • lying
  • truth
  • morality
  • trust
  • psychology

Keywords

  • lie
  • truth
  • pain
  • trust
  • moral values
  • psychology
  • ethics

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Hidden Brain

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