A new study suggests that people often keep negative information about themselves hidden due to fears of harsh judgment, both in and out of the workplace.
However, when participants in the study mustered the courage to reveal a secret, the recipients' reactions were much more charitable than expected.
Let's find out more about how it works.
How it was tested
The research emphasizes several key takeaways from 12 experiments.
One notable finding was that people consistently underestimated how positively others would judge them after disclosing a negative secret.
This miscalibration held true across various relationships, from strangers to close friends and family members.
Surprisingly, even for more serious secrets, participants overestimated the negative impact of the revelation.
The study also highlighted that honesty and transparency contribute positively to relationships, as participants were more likely to be open about revealing negative information when they believed they wouldn't be harshly judged.
Why it's important to know
The researchers suggest that these insights could be applied in workplace settings, encouraging openness and transparency to build trust among co-workers.
Previously, we talked about virtual violence and video games.
