Sad Scam Artists Have An Edge
On Saturday, at the Human Behavior and Evolution Society conference in Eugene, Oregon, Michele K. Surbey, talking on "Cheerful Cheaters Beware!" mentioned the Randy Nesse theory that depression is "low mood," and adaptive (to slow you/make you stop doing unproductive activity).
Surbey hypothesized cheaters who seem depressed are more likely to be forgiven and/or excused by others because:
1. People identify more with depressed compared with cheerful cheaters
2. People are more likely to attribute their cheating to external situations
3. People more likely to deem them less Machiavellian
4. People are more angry at cheerful rather than depressed cheaters
Surbey's research finding: People are more likely to forgive or overlook cheating by depressed-seeming individuals (rather than cheerful).
The takeaway for scammers: Be sure you cheat with a scowl!
Besides, it's hard to keep the cheating itself hidden if you're grinning like an idiot and whistling out the door.
Pricklypear at June 20, 2010 1:10 AM
Works the other way round, too.
Crid [CridComment at gmail] at June 20, 2010 4:50 AM
Makes sense. If you seem to take joy in your scamming, people will think you're a sociopath. If you seem depressed, then it must mean you were doing it because you're down on your luck, given a bad break, etc.
HKatz at June 20, 2010 9:33 AM
Amy;
Couldn't this be filed under "Captain Obvious"?
It seems common sense that people would be more likely to forgive depressed cheaters as it would *seem* like they are regretful of their actions and have (bad) reasons that led them to it.
Whereas a cheerful person would seem like they were gloating or didn't care.
Steve at June 20, 2010 12:44 PM
Steve, read above "cheaters who seem depressed." That's the point. Cheerful is just used for comparison.
Amy Alkon at June 20, 2010 1:41 PM
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