Trust is a funny thing. You can build it up for years, and then lose it in a five-second text, thanks to some things you did without realizing. Here are thirteen ways people make themselves untrustworthy, backed by scientific research. Which one drives you the craziest when you spot it?
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Humblebragging
Humblebragging is when you say stuff like, “I’m so exhausted from all these amazing job offers.” You’re bragging…but doing it subtly. However, studies show people actually dislike it more than regular bragging, and rather than sounding modest, it seems fake. And research shows you seem more untrustworthy this way, too.
Cc’ing or bcc’ing the boss on routine mail
Nothing feels weirder at work than sending a harmless email & suddenly seeing your boss copied in. There’s research on this. Cambridge researchers ran studies showing that when people cc or bcc managers on normal emails, their coworkers felt less trusted. Worse still, they thought the sender seemed sneaky. Ouch.
Periods in texts
Texting also has its own rules. In one study, people saw single-word replies with a period as less sincere than the exact same word without it. Ironically, though, it’s not something that happened with handwritten notes. It was only in digital messages. That means that a tiny dot could change the tone from casual to cold in a heartbeat.
Slow answers
Be careful with how long you take to answer. Research across thousands of people showed that delays, even just a pause, make answers seem less honest. People assume you’re stalling. Of course, when there’s an obvious reason, like bad Wi-Fi, it’s okay. But unless you explain the lag, they’ll see that little gap as a red flag.
Overclaiming knowledge
Tests with “fake facts” show that people who pretend to know things stand out quickly. In one study, researchers included made-up items alongside real ones, and those who claimed to recognize the fake stuff tended to do so more. Essentially, it’s a scientific way of catching bluffers. People who overclaim to know things seem rather suspicious.
Busy or novelty Zoom backgrounds
One experiment looked at Zoom backgrounds and found that plain shelves or plants get higher trust scores than messy homes or novelty scenes. That was true, even when the participants tried smiling. To put it another way, having a chaotic background means people think less of you before you’ve said a single word. It’s really that powerful.
Overusing passive voice
There’s a big difference between “I missed the deadline” & “The deadline was missed.” The first feels like you’re taking accountability (active), the other like you’re avoiding it (passive), and people notice this. When someone keeps speaking in the passive voice, people start thinking the sender shouldn’t be trusted. It doesn’t even take that much.
Fake laughter
Sure, we all have a fake laugh. But most people catch on to other people’s faster than they might realize, and studies have shown our brains are quite good at spotting the difference. As such, too many fake laughs could make other people wonder what else is being put on. After a while, it stops ringing true.
Using too many filler words
Filler words are a natural part of everyday speech. They’re phrases like “um” and “uh.” The issue is when they take over and start appearing every few seconds, as people stop listening to the content & focus on the hesitation. They start thinking that the speaker’s searching for answers instead of giving them.
Overusing jargon
When you use buzzwords in normal conversation, you’re probably not impressing anyone. In fact, it usually has the opposite effect. People who rely on complicated words over plain words come across as though they’re trying to cover something up. In fact, research shows that too much technical talk creates distance instead of trust. Clear speech is much better.
Inconsistent use of facts or numbers
Numbers stick in people’s heads. Most of the time. And if someone says one thing about costs or dates and then later changes the figure, other people notice that. It doesn’t matter that it’s a mistake. Once that doubt creeps in, it doesn’t take long for people to question whether the speaker is changing anything else.
Giving contradictory statements under mild pressure
Follow-up questions are where the cracks usually show. People tend to assume those contradictions aren’t random, and even under light questioning, switching answers makes it look like the truth is slipping. That’s because consistency shows honesty, and contradictions? Well, they almost always reduce people’s trust.
Sloppy, hard-to-read text
The issue isn’t simply with what you say, but also how it looks. Research shows that messy or typo-filled text seems less believable, especially when they have hard-to-read fonts or poor spacing. Cluttered layouts also encourage readers to doubt the message. On the opposite side, when the text is clean & easy to read, people are more likely to trust it.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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