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SALT LAKE CITY -- Their pants may not be on fire, but their fingers are: today's liars are more likely to bend the truth while typing out a text than while talking face to face.
People may be more dishonest while text messaging than while on the phone, but face-to-face and video interactions net the most honesty from participants, researchers at the University of British Columbia found.
The findings confirm that the greater the anonymity technology allows, the more insidious the behavior of participants is likely to be, according to the study authors.
The study involved 170 students-turned-stockbrokers or buyers who performed transactions either face-to-face or by video, audio or text communications. At stake was a $50 reward.
The students playing the role of the brokers and buyers were offered increasing rewards for higher stock sales or the value of their stocks, respectively. The brokers were made aware before the transaction began that the stocks would lose half their value. Buyers, though, were not told until the completion of the transaction, when they were asked whether they thought the brokers had been deceitful while selling their stock.
The researchers found that the most disingenuous of brokers were those who had communicated with buyers via text messaging. Buyers who had communicated via text messages were 31 percent more likely to report deception than those who had interacted with brokers face-to-face and 18 percent more likely to report deception than those who had interacted via audio.
People are communicating using a growing range of methods, from Twitter to Skype. As new platforms of communication come online, it's important to know the risks that may be involved.
–Robert Cenfetelli
They were also 95 percent more likely to report deceitful tactics than those who had communicated via video, leading researchers to conclude that the brokers communicating via video were more aware of the scrutiny they faced, making them less likely to lie.
The findings are not surprising -- forms of text-based communication such as text messaging and email do not allow participants the opportunity to decipher tones of voice, facial expressions and other body language, making it potentially easier to pull off a lie. Richer media, such as video chat or face- to-face conversation, make it more difficult to be deceitful.
Researchers also found that buyers were more likely to be angered by a lie over text than in person.
The study showed that people should be aware of the heightened instances of dishonesty in more anonymous communication, according to Ronald Cenfetelli, a co-author of the paper.
"People are communicating using a growing range of methods, from Twitter to Skype," Cenfetelli said. "As new platforms of communication come online, it's important to know the risks that may be involved."
"With this in mind, people shopping online using websites like eBay should consider asking sellers to talk over Skype to ensure they are getting information in the most trustworthy way possible," he said.
Email: sgrimes@ksl.com
