Today's world is an interconnected global village. Communication and business transactions are increasingly conducted in non-native languages. Literature suggests that biases are present when communicating in non-native languages; that a truth bias is present in first language communication, and a lie bias in second language communication. Less than 10% of South Africa's population identifies with English, the lingua franca of the country, as a first language. Not much research in the presence of bias in second language communication has been published in the South African multi-lingual context. This study evaluated the presences of bias within deception frameworks such as the Truth Default State and the veracity effect. This study investigated whether deception detection can be improved by modifying the conditions under which statements are given by placing statement providers under cognitive load. The accuracy of veracity judgment language profiling software, LIWC2015, using published deception language profiles was compared against the results of the participating veracity judges. Results of the study were mixed. It was consistent with extant literature in a presence of a truth bias overall, but mixed in terms of a lie bias. The results supported the Truth Default Theory and veracity effect frameworks. LIWC2015 performed marginally better than human judges in evaluating veracity.

The aim of this study was to investigate people’s ability to detect deception and if variables such as birth order, personality and suspiciousness affect this ability. The study was conducted at Växjö University with students as participants (n = 278). A film of two people arguing both for and against their own personal opinions was constructed and participants assessed credibility on a categorical scale (Honest/Dishonest). Neither birth order nor level of suspiciousness revealed significant differences as pertains to credibility attribution. In this study, personality traits showed small differences in that a low degree of Conscientiousness and possibly a high degree of Openness can predict lie bias (more correct classified lies). This study also showed that a truth and lie bias is predicted by positive respectively negative opinions. / Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka eventuella skillnader mellan människor och deras förmåga att upptäcka vilseledande information. Syskonplacering, personlighet och misstänksamhet ställdes mot deltagarnas trovärdighetsklassificeringar. Studien genomfördes på Växjö universitet och deltagarna bestod av studenter (n = 278). En film med två personer vilka argumenterade för och emot sina personliga åsikter konstruerades där deltagarna bedömde trovärdighet genom en kategorisk skala (Ärlig/Oärlig). Inga skillnader fanns mellan varken syskonplacering eller misstänksamhet och trovärdighetsbedömning. Personlighet gav små skillnader i trovärdighetsbedömning genom att låg grad av Conscientiousness och eventuellt hög grad av Openness predicerade lögnbias (fler korrekt klassificerade lögner) i denna studie. Studien visade även att sannings- och lögnbias prediceras av positiva respektive negativa åsikter i talarens påståenden.

<p>The aim of this study was to investigate people’s ability to detect deception and if variables such as birth order, personality and suspiciousness affect this ability. The study was conducted at Växjö University with students as participants (n = 278). A film of two people arguing both for and against their own personal opinions was constructed and participants assessed credibility on a categorical scale (Honest/Dishonest). Neither birth order nor level of suspiciousness revealed significant differences as pertains to credibility attribution. In this study, personality traits showed small differences in that a low degree of Conscientiousness and possibly a high degree of Openness can predict lie bias (more correct classified lies). This study also showed that a truth and lie bias is predicted by positive respectively negative opinions.</p> / <p>Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka eventuella skillnader mellan människor och deras förmåga att upptäcka vilseledande information. Syskonplacering, personlighet och misstänksamhet ställdes mot deltagarnas trovärdighetsklassificeringar. Studien genomfördes på Växjö universitet och deltagarna bestod av studenter (n = 278). En film med två personer vilka argumenterade för och emot sina personliga åsikter konstruerades där deltagarna bedömde trovärdighet genom en kategorisk skala (Ärlig/Oärlig). Inga skillnader fanns mellan varken syskonplacering eller misstänksamhet och trovärdighetsbedömning. Personlighet gav små skillnader i trovärdighetsbedömning genom att låg grad av Conscientiousness och eventuellt hög grad av Openness predicerade lögnbias (fler korrekt klassificerade lögner) i denna studie. Studien visade även att sannings- och lögnbias prediceras av positiva respektive negativa åsikter i talarens påståenden.</p>

This study examined the ability of students to correctly discern between truthful and deceptive messages from a group of second language English speakers. Recent studies have found a ‘lie bias’ when making veracity judgments towards second language speakers. This lie bias may be problematic in a country such as South Africa where the majority of the population communicate, to a greater or lesser extent, in their second language. In this study participants (n=64) made classifications of 24 messages as either truthful or deceptive. The messages were created by second language English speakers who were asked to describe a truthful or deceptive event. The results revealed that there was a significant difference between the way that first and second language participants made their judgments. It is argued that this difference can be attributed to the notion that second language participants require more cognitive effort, than their first language counterparts, to understand and classify messages. / Psychology / M. A.(Psychology)