Tell the Truth on Social Media or Risk Your Reputation – Here’s Why

Social media has created lots of places for people to express their opinions.  And, in turn, it has spawned places where open dialogue is encouraged, which can stimulate lots of disagreements.

University of Houston researchers found that just as in face-to-face relationships, intellectually humble behavior, such as admitting when you are wrong, leads to better impression formation online.

Study leader Adam Fetterman says through four experiments, they found that, “People tend to form the most positive impressions from those on online social networks (OSNs), who display communal, open, and humble online behaviors.  Wrongness admission serves as a cue of intellectual humility, communion, and competence.  Although the admitter is telling onlookers that they have been incompetent in this instance, it suggests that they are willing to work together and that they are competent enough to recognize faulty knowledge and change it.”

So, if you’re kind, humble, respectful and big enough to admit when you’re wrong, you’ll gain respect and quality of friendship, as well as better business networking and image.

Learn more, here:  (EurekAlert!)