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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."
I was just getting out of bed after a 9 hour orgy with my harem. I showed them this story on my iPad 4 and they think it's all BS.
is it true, do people lie? Over email? To other people?
we need to look into this, it's going to ruin the economy, especially if these liars get into politics and big business!
You can't handle the truth.
Either the research is flawed, or the people they studied are going to fail miserably in the "real world".
I find myself stretching the truth, or dodging accurate answers, when speaking in person far more often than I do in text. With text there is a document recorded for all time which can be referenced at any time. If it's not correct it's going to destroy you. If you say something untrue it's possible to wiggle out by claiming you were misunderstood or misheard.
Typically there is more time to build accurate and honest replies in text than there is in verbal communication. When you're speaking with someone they expect the reply RIGHT THEN, so you make some shit up to cover your ass. If you have more time you can formulate a true(er) response, or build truth prior to making your reply.
Spoken:
"Hey babe, did you take out the trash?"
"Uh, yep."
The hell you did. And now you have to get the trash out before she finds out.
Text:
"Hey babe, did you take out the trash?"
Take out the trash.
"Yep. At the curb."
No deceit. Just delay of truth due to available features of the means of communication.
No sig for you. YOU GET NO SIG!
I was taught in a communications course that over 90% of the "information" in a conversation is transmitted visually. We read each others' faces and body language.
My hobby is leading a rock band. I have noticed that people really don't hear as much of what we're doing as we think we are -- they are watching how we act on stage. This became apparent when we did a multi-band show one time and though the other bands were musically just as good as we were, we got a rousing ovation because my guitarist and I were jumping around on stage and cracking jokes. And the observations from the audience overwhelmingly confirmed -- it was how we behaved that sold our performance. We were good, we knew it, and we showed it.
So when you remove that element, that body language that will tell most people if you actually buy the bullshit you're selling, it frees you to sell far more bullshit.
Sociopaths and social manipulators don't even understand that what they're doing is wrong which is why one of the easiest ways to identify those folks is probably by their supernally smooth lying skills. Think about how charismatic TV preachers are, and think about how almost universally these folks turn out to be con-artists and frauds.
One day I feel I'm ahead of the wheel / the next it's rolling over me / I can get back on / I can get back on
That's Johnathan Gabriel's Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory. "Normal Person + Anonymity + Audience = Total Fuckwad." I don't remember what the Lesser Internet Fuckwad Theory is, it's been years since I took Intro to Internetrics.
ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI
Anonymous coward posts really are hit or miss. You can make arguments for "courage of your convictions", but I actually find more honest, dissenting opinions in the anon posts than proper ones. Named posts are almost always "safe" posts. And so, I'm glad we've got an AC option.
Unfortunately, AC posts are also where you find the trashy, hateful, racist sludge as well.