People Often Trust Eloquence More Than Honesty

Via HBR

The finding: People who dodge questions artfully are liked and trusted more than people who respond to questions truthfully but with less polish.
The study: Todd Rogers and Michael Norton showed subjects different videos of a political debate. In the first, one of the candidates answered the question asked. In the second, he dodged it by answering a similar question. In the third, he dodged it by answering a completely different one. When the candidate answered a similar question, subjects failed to notice the switch. They also liked him better if he answered a similar question well than if he answered the actual one less eloquently.
The challenge: Can style really trump substance? Todd Rogers and Professor Norton, defend your research.

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