Slashdot Mirror
Lying Is More Common When We Email
An anonymous reader writes "A new study by University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers finds that using computers for instant messaging and e-mail increases lying compared to face-to-face conversations, and that e-mail messages are most likely to contain lies. At its heart, the difference is about deindividualization, where as people grow psychologically and physically further from the person they're communicating with, the likelihood of lying goes up."
It's easier to do lots of things when it's somewhat impersonal. If people acted in real life the way they do online, well, lots more people would likely have broken noses. :-P
The perception of anonymity can cause otherwise normal people to devolve into complete arseholes.
Lost at C:>. Found at C.