People are more likely to believe quick answers than slow ones
Written by Robby Berman on February 23, 2021 — Fact checked by Hannah Flynn, MS
A new study finds that people consistently disbelieve someone who responds slowly to questions.
Answering questions promptly promotes personal credibility.
Slow, thoughtful responses may count against people.
Whenever someone answers a question, their audience unconsciously considers the
way they reply in addition to the response itself. They make a quick, often unconscious, assessment of their sincerity: do they know what they are talking about? Is the answer truthful?
A new study from researchers at the Grenoble Ecole de Management in Grenoble, France, finds that the speed with which a person answers a question may provide an unintentional cue as to the person’s credibility.