Deconstructing deception: Frequency, communicator characteristics, and linguistic features of embeddedness

Abstract

Deceptive and truthful statements draw on a common pool of communication data, and they are typically embedded within false and truthful narratives. How often does embeddedness occur, who communicates embedded deceptions and truths, and what linguistic characteristics reveal embeddedness? In this study, nearly 800 participants deceived or told the truth about their friends and indicated the embedded deceptions (e.g., false statements told within entirely false or truthful messages) and truths (e.g., truthful statements told within entirely false or truthful messages). Embedded deceiving and truth-telling rates were only statistically different among those who were instructed to tell the truth. Therefore, the distribution of embedded deceptions and truths were similar for false statements, but dissimilar for truthful statements. Embedded truths were also more likely to be written by women (vs men), liberals (vs conservatives), and communicated in a formal versus narrative style. Theoretical implications are discussed.