New research suggests that a cynical outlook does little to shield individuals from lies and scams, and may actually hinder social lives. Psychologists have found that people with high levels of distrust are no better at detecting deception than those who are more trusting.
In a study led by Timothy Levine at the University of Oklahoma, participants watched recorded interviews and judged truthfulness. Scores on the general trust scale had no influence on their ability to spot liars; the most suspicious were as likely to be duped as the most trusting. Most people have a 'truth bias', assuming claims are genuine, regardless of their general trust levels.
David Markowitz, a co-author and professor at Michigan State University, noted that behavioural signals distinguishing truths from lies are often too weak to be reliably observed. Levine added that there is no consistent signal to detect, as cues vary between individuals.
Scams require different skills. Alessandra Teunisse at Macquarie University developed a Gullibility Scale measuring ability to spot manipulation cues. In a study, participants who scored higher on gullibility were more likely to fall for phishing emails, independent of cynicism.
Experts suggest that instead of cynicism, people can protect themselves by seeking out the good in others and shifting their mindset, maintaining faith in humanity while avoiding deception.
