National Geographic did a short piece on lyingLinks to an external site. where they reported on some recent research conducted by a Communication Studies professor on the reasons people lie. Below are six of those reasons. For each type of reason, assume that the person who has told the lies has told them all before.
For each kind of lie, identify if the telling of the lie (that's the operant) has been positively reinforced, negatively reinforced, positively punished or negatively punished.
Lied to cover up a personal transgression, e.g. lied to keep an affair from becoming public
Lied to avoid someone, e.g., lied to get off the phone with someone you don't want to talk to
Lied for financial gain, e.g., lied on a tax return to get a bigger tax refund
Lied for non-monetary benefits, e.g., lied to get people to vote for you
Lied to make a good impression, e.g., lied on an online dating profile so more people will say yes when you ask to meet them
Lied to be polite, e.g., lied about liking someone's shirt to avoid making the person feel bad