People more likely to lie when pressed for time

People are more likely to fib when they are pressed for time and if they can justify such lies to themselves, a new study has found.

The study showed that when people are not under time pressure, they are unlikely to lie if there is no opportunity to rationalise their behaviour.

According to the researchers from University of Amsterdam and Ben-Gurion University, Israel, people first act upon their self-serving instincts, and only with time do they consider what socially acceptable behaviour is.

"When people act quickly, they may attempt to do all they can to secure a profit-including bending ethical rules and lying. Having more time to deliberate leads people to restrict the amount of lying and refrain from cheating," said

researcher Shaul Shalvi, in a statement.

The researchers first tested 70 adult participants' tendency to lie when doing so could be easily justified.

"One implication of the current findings is that to increase the likelihood of honest behaviour in business or personal settings, it is important not push a person into a

corner but rather to give him or her time," Shalvi said.

"People usually know it is wrong to lie, they just need time to do the right thing."

The study was published in the journal 'Psychological Science'.

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