Deception and Emotion: The Effects of Motivation, Relationship Type, and Sex on Expected Feelings of Guilt and Shame Following Acts of Deception in United States and Chinese Samples

Abstract

This study explored whether people expect to experience guilt and shame following acts of deception, and whether such expectations are mediated by the deceivers' motivation, culture, sex, and/or the type of relationship between the deceiver and deceived. Students from China and the United States imagined themselves in several deception scenarios and rated the degree to which they would expect to experience guilt and shame following the deception. The scenarios depicted messages told for different reasons (e.g., to avoid conflict, to appear better) and with various relational partners (e.g., friends, spouses, strangers). Results indicated that motive, culture, and relationship affect emotional expectations following deception. No sex differences were found. These results and their implications are discussed.