Thinking Outside the In-box

Liar, Liar: "The clients totally loved me."

People are more likely to tell self-serving lies over email than over the phone or during face-to-face encounters. It gives them time to compose just the right wording, and the detachment also buffers the discomfort one feels when lying.

About Face: "Let's discuss it over lunch."

Gender differences abound even in democratized cyberspace. Men are more likely to be persuaded by a male adversary's request if it's made by email, because the physical cues that stoke competition in face-to-face encounters are removed. But the same lack of social clues arouses suspicion between women, so they're best won over in person.

Tune in, Sign on, Drop out: "Okay, I gotta get back to writing flirty emails... "

While some people take cigarette breaks, others check blogs. But surfing the Web may be more stimulating than relaxing: Workers who cyberloaf more report higher job stress. On the other hand, stress-causing boredom may be driving them online in the first place.

It's Your Lucky Day: "...but I doubt they'll catch me... "

People who tend to believe events in the universe are due to chance—versus their own actions—are more likely to use the Internet for non-work-related tasks at the office, such as checking news and personal email, shopping on eBay, or gambling online. These workers believe that reproach from upper management is due to bad luck, so they log into Gmail without a worry.

Nudge, Nudge, Wink, Wink: "I'm burning this place to the ground."

Jokes fall flatter in cyberspace. Without facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice, it's notoriously hard to relay sarcasm via email. Rein in your overconfident sense of humor by reading your "hilarious" message in a serious tone before sending it, to feel out possible misinterpretations. Emoticons don't hurt, either. ;-)