2010/11/18 by David J. Y. Combs, David J. Combs, Peggy S. Keller
Psychology · Social Sciences · #Behavioral Health and Interventions #Experimental Behavioral Economics Studies #Social and Intergroup Psychology
paper · doi:10.1080/01973533.2010.519246
openalex publication_date 2010/11/18 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31
Trustworthiness is an important characteristic for politicians to possess. However, politicians are perceived as manifestly untrustworthy. One way politicians might build trustworthiness is to behave in a manner that seems contrary to self-interest. Three studies examined whether acting contrary to self-interest can help build trustworthiness. In each study, participants reacted to political content in which a politician acted contrary to self-interest (praised an opponent) or acted in a more common and self-serving manner (e.g., attacked opponent or praised the self). Participants perceived the candidate who acted contrary to self-interest as more trustworthy than candidates who acted in a more self-serving manner. Participants were also more willing to consider voting for such a candidate. These results were not constrained by party affiliation.