Lying lowers EQ, says Inc. article highlighting Julia Lee’s research

October 2, 2019


The Inc. magazine article, “A New Study Discovered Another Reason Lying Is Terrible: It Lowers Your EQ,” delves into research by Julia Lee and researchers at the University of Michigan.

Lee’s team discovered that the more someone lies, the harder it is for them to read others’ emotions, Inc. reports.

“The researchers suggest that in order to protect ourselves from feeling bad about our dishonesty, we mentally distance ourselves from other people. We look away, emotionally and physically, from others to avoid feelings of guilt, and this may make it harder to understand and empathize with others,” Inc. says.

The article warns that leaders who skirt the truth risk losing touch with their teams.

Lee, a core faculty member of the Center for Positive Organizations (CPO), is assistant professor of Management and Organizations at Michigan Ross.