Dawn Baird
Published: March 29, 2006
Dr. Jeff Hancock gave an engaging talk on when, where, and how people lie online on March 21 on the PJC’s Pensacola campus. An assistant professor at Cornell University’s technical communications department, Hancock is currently working on developing systems to detect deception online.
ÿAccording to the Federal Trade Commission, reports of Internet-related fraud currently account for more than half the consumer complaints received by the agency.
What is the definition of a lie? According to Hancock, “It’s when you create a false belief by intentionally controlling information.”
Hancock asked the audience if they thought people lied more face to face, on the phone, instant messaging, or through e-mail. Most of the audience chose e-mail, but Hancock’s recent studies have shown most lies are told during phone coversations, and fewest are told via e-mail.
According to Hancock, on the phone, a person must answer with quick responses, and while e-mailing, time is plentiful. Perhaps if given time to think about it, a person may decide not to lie.
When people lie they give out non-verbal clues of their deception. They are more tense, have a higher vocal pitch, and fidget.
How do you know if someone is lying online? Hancock’s studies have shown when people lie they use 28 percent more words, fewer first person pronouns, more third person references, fewer exclusive words, and more negative emotion terms.
Hancock’s goal is to create a program to detect digital deception automatically. In this information age, almost every family owns a computer. Terrorists, pedophiles, and identity thieves roam the net. For many, it would be a comfort to have this added protection.