research

My research examines the dynamics of strategic social interactions where people are motivated by economic self-interest and impression management considerations. I am particularly interested in the antecedents and consequences of their choices to engage in strategic deception, apply nonverbal influence tactics, and signal that they possess moral character. My research considers the impact of these behaviors in negotiations, advice markets, and interpersonal persuasion contexts.

Strategic deception
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When they have an opportunity to profit from nudging others' decisions, people sometimes resort to deception. One line of my research examines the antecedents and consequences of deceiving others in interpersonal influence contexts like negotiations and advice-giving.
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Relevant Research
​Van Zant, A. B. (in press). Strategically overconfident (to a fault): How self-promotion motivates advisor confidence. Journal of Applied Psychology.

Kray, L. J., Kennedy, J. A., & Van Zant, A. B. (2014). Not competent enough to know the difference? Gender stereotypes about women’s ease of being misled predict negotiator deception. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 125(2), 61-72.

Van Zant, A. B., & Kray, L. J. (2014). “I can’t lie to your face”: Minimal face-to-face interaction promotes honesty. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 55(1), 234-238. 

NONVERBAL INFLUENCE AND SELF-PRESENTATION

People often forego deception and rely on more subtle nonverbal behaviors when trying to influence others. I study how people modulate their nonverbal behaviors when attempting to influence others and its impact on their persuasiveness and how they are perceived by others.

​Relevant Research
Van Zant, A. B., & Berger, J. (2020). How the voice persuades. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 118(4), 661-682.

Kray, L. J., Locke, C. C., & Van Zant, A. B. (2012). Feminine charm: An experimental analysis of its costs and benefits in negotiations. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 38(10), 1343-1357. 

MORAL CHARACTER AND THE INFLUENCE PROCESS

Actors' morality not only shapes their choice of influence tactics, but it also impacts their ability to persuade others. My research considers how actors' ability to signal moral character enhances their persuasiveness and how others' gender affects their trust restoration efforts.

Relevant Research
Van Zant, A. B., & Moore, D. A. (2015). Leaders’ use of moral justifications increases policy support. Psychological Science, 26(6), 934-943. 

Haselhuhn, M. P., Kennedy, J. A., Kray, L. J., Van Zant, A. B. , & Schweitzer, M. E. (2015). Gender differences in trust dynamics: Women trust more than men following a trust violation. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 56(1), 104-109. ​