Does second language decrease cyber deception? Cyber contextual organization of language and deception framework

Cyber deception is common in online communication, yet whether using a foreign (second) language increases or decreases dishonest behavior remains debated. We propose the Cyber Contextual Organization of Language and Deception (CCOLD) framework, which integrates psychological dynamics (language), practical goals (lie type), and communication conventions (social norms) to predict cyber deception.

In three online experiments, participants were randomly assigned to a native-language (Chinese) or foreign-language (English) condition and judged deception scenarios that varied in lie type (black lie vs. white lie in Experiment 1; white lie vs. truth in Experiment 2; black lie vs. truth in Experiment 3) and social norm (descriptive vs. subjective). Data were analyzed with linear mixed-effects models controlling for age, gender, language background, and self-reported English proficiency.

The foreign-language effect was not uniform. Experiment 1 showed a language and lie interaction, such that foreign-language use increased the acceptability of black lies but not white lies. Experiments 2 and 3 showed three-way interactions: under subjective norms, foreign-language use reduced white-lie (Experiment 2) and black-lie (Experiment 3) willingness while increasing truth willingness, whereas language effects were not significant under descriptive norms.

The effect of foreign language on cyber deception is conditional rather than fixed, jointly depending on lie type and social-norm type. The CCOLD framework accounts for these boundary conditions and offers implications for online ethical education and deception prevention.