The Results are In!

Wanna know the secrets of why and how we keep secrets? Well, let me unveil it all for you. In honor of the release of my new novel, UN-VEILED, which may appear to be about twin hairdressers in a California coastal town who specialize in wedding hair, but is actually about secrets, I’ll let you in on a few things I’ve learned.

Fully 50% of the respondents to my survey say the person to whom they’re most likely to tell a secret is their significant other. Pillow talk apparently does rule. Best friends followed, but lagged behind with a paltry 24%. While blood may be thicker than water, it doesn’t guarantee anyone access to the deep darks in someone else’s soul. Siblings received only 5% of the votes and Moms lagged behind even that with 3%.

As to why we’d tell, our altruistic sides clearly battle with our love to dish the dirt. Forty-one percent of people surveyed say they would tell someone’s secret to keep an innocent person from being hurt. Almost brings a tear to your, doesn’t it? Guess what, though? A whopping 36% would tell just because it’s fun to gossip. Trailing at 19% is telling a secret to stop someone from doing something dangerous, but wayyyyyy behind that is punishing someone. Only 4% percent of people surveyed would tell a secret to accomplish that goal.

That good natured side shows up again when respondents were asked why they wouldn’t tell a secret. More than 60% would keep quiet if they thought telling a certain secret would hurt someone’s feelings. More than 15% would keep their lips zipped to make sure someone wouldn’t get in trouble. Twelve percent of respondents, however, just like knowing something that no one else does. It is sweet, isn’t it? Finally, only 6% would keep a secret to avoid angering someone and only 5% would keep it to keep someone from getting embarrassed.

Finally, 59% of respondents are more likely to keep a secret when it relates to their personal life versus 41% who are more likely to keep a secret when it pertains to their professional lives.