Harnessing the Benefits of Honesty for Individuals, Relationships, and Society

Honesty is highly valued across societies. Communicating in truthful ways is widely seen as moral and desired across interpersonal relationships. Despite the value societies place on honesty, there are personal and social factors that often inhibit truthful communication and its potential benefits. In the current paper, we describe the implications of honesty for policy in three key domains: in interpersonal and group relationships, within healthcare settings between patients and providers, and in broader online settings. We highlight honesty as an interpersonal communication process focused on sharing the truth and fostering its understanding in others. We further draw on insights on the personal and social factors that motivate people to communicate honestly, or not, and the associated costs and benefits of doing so. Anchoring on key theories and findings related to honesty, we highlight how truthful communication may have important policy implications for individuals, relationships, and society.