Communicationstechnologiesarefarfromequalwhenitcomestoconveyingthetruth.Thefirststudytocomparehonestyacrossarangeofcommunicationmediahasfundthatpeoplearetwiceaslikelytotellliesinphoneconversationsastheyareinemails.Thefactthatemailsareautomaticallyrecorded—andcancomebacktohaunt(困扰)you—appearstobethekeytothefinding.
JeffHancockofCornellUniversityinIthaca,NewYork,asked30studentstokeepacommunicationsdiaryforaweek.Inittheynotedthenumberofconversationsoremailexchangestheyhadlastingmorethan10minutes,andconfessedtohowmanyliestheytold.Hancockthenworkedoutthenumberofliesperconversationforeachmedium.Hefoundthatliesmadeup14percentofemails,21percentofinstantmessages,27percentofface-to-faceinteractionsandanastonishing37percentofphonecalls.
Hisresultstobepresentedattheconferenceonhuman-computerinteractioninVienna,Austria,inApril,havesurprisedpsychologists.Someexpectedemailerstobethebiggestliars,reasoningthatbecausedeceptionmakespeopleuncomfortable,thedetachment(非直接接触)ofemailingwouldmakeiteasiertolie.Othersexpectedpeopletoliemoreinface-to-faceexchangesbecausewearemostpractisedatthatformofcommunication.
ButHancocksaysitisalsocrucialwhetheraconversationisbeingrecordedandcouldbereread,andwhetheritoccursinrealtime.Peopleappeartobeafraidtoliewhentheyknowthecommunicationcouldlaterbeusedtoholdthemtoaccount,hesays.Thisiswhyfewerliesappearinemailthanonthephone.
Peoplearealsomorelikelytolieinrealtime—inainstantmessageorphonecall,say—thaniftheyhavetimetothinkofaresponse,saysHancock.Hefoundmanyliesarespontaneous(脱口而出的)responsestoanunexpecteddemand,suchas:“Doyoulikemydress?”
Hancockhopeshisresearchwillhelpcompaniesworkourthebestwaysfortheiremployeestocommunicate.Forinstance,thephonemightbethebestmediumfoesaleswhereemployeesareencouragedtostretchthetruth.But,givenhisresult,workassessmentwherehonestyisapriority,mightbebestdoneusingemail.
57.Hancock’sstudyfocuseson________.
A)theconsequencesoflyinginvariouscommunicationsmedia
B)thesuccessofcommunicationstechnologiesinconveyingideas
C)peoplearelesslikelytolieininstantmessages
D)people’shonestylevelsacrossarangeofcommunicationsmedia
58.Hancock’sresearchfindingsurprisedthosewhobelievedthat________.
A)peoplearelesslikelytolieininstantmessages
B)peopleareunlikelytolieinface-to-faceinteractions
C)peoplearemostlikelytolieinemailcommunication
D)peoplearetwiceaslikelytolieinphoneconversations
59.Accordingtothepassage,whyarepeoplemorelikelytotellthetruththroughcertainmediaofcommunication?
A)Theyareafraidofleavingbehindtracesoftheirlies.
B)Theybelievethathonestyisthebestpolicy.
C)Theytendtoberelaxedwhenusingthosemedia.
D)Theyaremostpractisedatthoseformsofcommunication.
60.AccordingtoHancockthetelephoneisapreferablemediumforpromotingsalesbecause________.
A)salesmencantalkdirectlytotheircustomers
B)salesmenmayfeellessrestrainedtoexaggerate
C)salesmencanimpresscustomersasbeingtrustworthy
D)salesmenmaypassoninstantmessageseffectively
61.Itcanbeinferredfromthepassagethat________.
A)honestyshouldbeencouragedininterpersonalcommunications
B)moreemployerswilluseemailstocommunicatewiththeiremployees
C)suitablemediashouldbechosenfordifferentcommunicationpurposes
D)emailisnowthedominantmediumofcommunicationwithinacompany
