Who lies more: Men or women?

Plus, the top five lies told by both sexes.

By Kristin Wong Dec 12, 2012 4:33PM

Whether it's a little white lie or lying by omission, we're all guilty of stretching the truth. But according to a study, men are more likely to lie than women—kind of. While men are more likely to lie overall, women are more likely to lie in specific situations.

Women tell an average of 728 lies per year, or approximately two lies a day. Men, on the other hand, tell an average of 1,092 lies a year, or three per day.

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Commissioned by the Science Museum of central London and carried out by OnePoll, the study included 3,000 adults and also listed the top lies men and women tell the most.

"Lying may seem to be an unavoidable part of human nature, but it's an important part of social interaction," Katie Maggs, museum curator, told the Telegraph. "The jury is still out as to whether quirks like lying are the result of our genes, evolution or upbringing."

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Eighty-two percent of females in the survey said that lying made them feel guilty, while only 70 percent of men felt the same way. Seventy-five percent of those polled said it was okay to lie in order to spare someone's feelings.

While men lie more often, women are more prone to lie in specific situations, according to a separate study carried about by BMW Financial Services. For example, when it comes to shopping, 39 percent of women feel the need to lie about their purchases compared to only 26 percent of men. Women are also more likely to lie about being busy in order to avoid a phone call. Half of women surveyed admitted to lying in this situation compared to just over a third of men.

Below are the top five lies told by both sexes, according to the men and women surveyed. Let's hope they were telling the truth about their lying.

Top 5 lies men tell: