Abstract
Compared with their neurotypical (NT) counterparts, persons with autism appear to
be less inclined to tell lies and less skilled in delivering sophisticated forms of
deception. At the same time, some forms of deception like white lies and prosocial
lies are frequent in human interaction because they are important for social success.
This article challenges the reader to evaluate the therapeutic potential for prosocial
deception and teaching white-lie telling to autistic persons. The nature and development
of antisocial and prosocial lying in NT development and autism are reviewed. Considerations
for when to (and when not to) teach the skill of empathic lying are discussed and
recommendations for how to teach the comprehension and production of prosocial lies
are offered.
Keywords
lying - deception - autism - teaching - prosocial lying
