The New Psychology of Secrecy

Abstract

Nearly everyone keeps secrets, but only recently have we begun to learn about the secrets people keep in their everyday lives and the experiences people have with their secrets. Early experimental research into secrecy sought to create secrecy situations in the laboratory, but in trying to observe secrecy in real time, these studies conflated secrecy with the act of concealment. In contrast, a new psychology of secrecy recognizes that secrecy is far more than biting our tongues and dodging others’ questions. Our secrets can consume mental space before and after concealment situations, and even the secrets that require no active upkeep can burden the secret keeper. The current article reviews recent insights into the many ways in which our secrets relate to personal and relational well-being and what follows from revealing our secrets.