Pupils who are the most convincing liars are often the most popular in class, claims research by psychologists in the United States.

A study of the ability of teenagers to tell lies has shown that the pupils who are most adept at dishonesty are usually among the most socially successful.

Girls were found to be able to tell lies more convincingly than boys - with researchers believing that this reflected their greater strength at non-verbal communication, such as using eye contact and facial expressions.

Robert Feldman, the University of Massachusetts psychologist who published the research, has concluded that rather than a social handicap, lying can be a way of allowing young people to maintain their position within their peer group.

"Lying is in some ways a social skill," said Mr Feldman.

Taste test

"If we were always totally honest with other people, we would get ourselves in lots of unpleasant situations. Nobody wants to hear that you don't like the gift you just gave them."

The study, published in the Journal of Non-verbal Behaviour, involved videotaping teenagers as they both lied and told the truth about whether they liked the taste of a drink they were given.

These tapes were then screened to other young people, who were asked to consider which of the students were telling the truth and which were lying.

The study found that the pupils able to lie most convincingly were likely to be among the most popular and socially successful within the peer group.

The researchers say that dishonesty can be suggested (or concealed) by body language such as too much or too little eye contact, shrugs, the level of dilation of pupils in eyes and excessive blinking.