Research

research

People routinely engage in impression management while pursuing their economic self-interest, whether negotiating, trying to persuade someone, or just providing advice. One line of my research examines tangible strategies people can use to manage impressions and enhance their influence in social interactions. Another line of my research examines the antecedents and consequences of self-interested deception.

Influence and IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT

Projecting a positive image enhances our ability to influence others. My research on impression management considers the strategies people use to manage impressions and reveals practical insights into how they can more effectively use language and modulate acoustic features of their voice to increase their influence.

Relevant Publications
Van Zant, A. B. (2022). Strategically overconfident (to a fault): How self-promotion motivates advisor confidence. Journal of Applied Psychology, 107(1) 109-129.

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

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

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.

Self-Interested Deception

When they have the opportunity to profit from nudging others' decisions, people sometimes resort to deception and other unethical tactics. My research on self-interested deception uncovers situational factors that shape actors' ethical choice while exploring the psychological and interpersonal consequences of dishonesty.

Relevant Publications
Van Zant, A. B., Kennedy, J. A., & Kray, L. J. (2023). Does hoodwinking others pay? The psychological and relational consequences of undetected negotiator deception. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 124(5), 1001-1024.

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.

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.