Understanding Why People Deceive: The Role of Personality and Situational Factors
Author Information
Author(s): Panasiti Maria Serena, Pavone Enea Francesco, Merla Arcangelo, Aglioti Salvatore Maria
Primary Institution: Sapienza – University of Rome
Hypothesis
How do personality traits and situational factors influence the decision to deceive others?
Conclusion
Deception is more likely in unfavorable situations, but maintaining one's reputation encourages honesty, especially in socially inclined individuals.
Supporting Evidence
- Participants lied more in unfavorable situations compared to favorable ones.
- Reputation risk decreased the number of self-gain lies.
- The presence of an opponent in the same room did not significantly change deceptive behavior.
Takeaway
People are more likely to lie when they are in a bad situation, but if they think others are watching, they are more likely to tell the truth.
Methodology
Participants played a card game where they could choose to lie or tell the truth in different conditions of reputation risk and reality.
Potential Biases
Participants may have been influenced by social desirability in their responses.
Limitations
The study's findings may not generalize beyond the specific experimental conditions used.
Participant Demographics
52 participants (26 females, ages 19-29, mean age 24.38).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.01
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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