Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Gamma is a downhill slope

One of the dangers of lying to yourself is that it gets easier the more you do it:
Scientists have uncovered an explanation for why telling a few porkies has the tendency to spiral out of control. The study suggests that telling small, insignificant lies desensitises the brain to dishonesty, meaning that lying gradually feels more comfortable over time.

Tali Sharot, a neuroscientist at University College London and senior author, said: “Whether it’s evading tax, infidelity, doping in sports, making up data in science or financial fraud, deceivers often recall how small acts of dishonesty snowballed over time and they suddenly found themselves committing quite large crimes.”

Sharot and colleagues suspected that this phenomenon was due to changes in the brain’s response to lying, rather than simply being a case of one lie necessitating another to maintain a story....

Twenty-five of the volunteers played the game while having their brain activity monitored by an MRI scanner. This showed that the amygdala, a part of the brain linked with emotion, was most active when people told their first lie. But while the untruths escalated in magnitude, the amygdala’s response gradually declined - and larger drops in brain activity predicted bigger lies in future.

The researchers said this adaptation effect was similar to those seen in basic sensory experiences. A scent becomes less potent when smelt repeatedly, for instance.
This is fascinating, especially in light of other research that suggests Gammas may have smaller, less developed amygdalas than higher-status men. On the other hand, it also suggests that my advice to ruthlessly tell the truth may be a reliable way out of Gammatude, as it stands to reason that refusing to tell lies will also alter the brain's response, but in a more positive manner.

The more a Gamma tells the truth, the easier it will become for him, and the more reluctant he will become to construct a delusion bubble to defend his pride from contact with reality.

16 comments:

swiftfoxmark2 said...

This demonstrates that Gammas should be kept away from all vestiges of power until they are able to tell the truth.

Because people who can't be trusted with little things will end up destroying whatever institution they are part of once they get high enough.

Leo Littlebook ID:16216229492837658552 said...

I doubt the relationship between brain scan response to lying and SSR is a high r^2 positive slope.

SQT said...

My mom, like Hillary Clinton, is a congenital liar. I always marveled at the fact that no lie was too small- she never told the truth about *anything.* Now, at least, there's some explanation for the behavior.

Aeoli Pera said...

I wonder how this manifests in trained responses that are untrue. E.g. Welcome to Starbucks, I love you. It would explain a lot if the effect holds.

Happy Housewife said...

Heard a bible professor say in class one that every right and good choice you make, no matter how small, makes you more fit for the presence of God.

Looks like that works both ways.

Anonymous said...

This also gives a good counter argument as to why you should not call trans men she when "it doesn't hurt anyone". Lying about what they are does do damage as it generates more lying due to desensitisation.

dc.sunsets said...

Recall that the purpose of today's leftist cult's rejection of observed reality is to force everyone to embrace lies (big and small.) Add the conclusions of this paper and you can answer "why?"

Aeoli Pera said...

Exactly what I'm thinking. If this study is sound, it would be a YUGE step in understanding the totalitarian instinct.

test said...

Your blog's name is 'Alpha Gameplan' and every second article is about Gammas. Do you have other topics too?

Jew613 said...

Chris, SJW's know calling a man her/she is harmful to everyone involved. That's the very point to force you to become part of the lie and humiliate yourself by engaging in what you know to be a false.

Jed Mask said...

Great advice on "Gammas" Mr. Vox. Thanks for sharing this.

So, if been doing right with "reaching out" to my Gamma friend thus far with "truth".

Thanks for reaffirming this. God-willing in patience and time he'll start to come around someday. Amen.

~ Bro. Jed

Anonymous said...

@Jew613

"That's the very point to force you to become part of the lie"

I agree that this is why they do it, but try proving a subjective motivation of your opponent in an argument. It is next to impossible unless you know their life in very very great detail and are able to expose some kind of contradiction/hypocrisy in their behaviour.

Whereas this counterargument is proved by science, ergo it is more easily made and accepted.

M Cephas said...

I think the habit probably comes from childhood. When you have parents that will punish you harshly or scold you when you tell the truth about something wrong you've done, you can get in the habit of avoiding punishment(lying).

At least when it comes to lying to others. I'm not sure about when one is lying to himself.

dc.sunsets said...

M Cephas, that may be part of it. Nature/nurture questions abound. My view while raising kids was, pay them massive respect for honorable behavior. If they broke the rule and owned up to it, they earned respect even while consequences landed on them.

My wife's 4th grade classes are these days stuffed with kids raised by mom only, and thus the concept of honor is absent. Stealing, lying, screaming fits when they don't get their way...in 10 year olds. Just this AM I observed that every one of her work stories brings me back to one thought: what will these "people" be like in 8+ years? Will they ever be able to "leave home?" [Maybe that's the idea; mommy doesn't want to be alone and a permanent adolescent who can't self-support is better than cats.]

Nate73 said...

I have the gamma tendency to get angry at something not working even if I was sloppy, made outright mistakes, or simply got unlucky. I've realized this recently and it's somewhat unsettling. How are you supposed to get anywhere if every step is a frustration? In those moments telling oneself the truth is very hard, almost impossible against a torrent of strong emotions.

Dexter said...

In the same manner, the female hamster is created and spins out of control. With every self-justification, future self-justification becomes that much easier.

And those who are thinking about "forgiving" someone who has cheated on them, should reflect on how many hundreds of lies that person has told herself (and you), and how desensitized this has made her brain. Chances of that person not cheating again... not so good.

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