Reputation

A person's reputation—that is, the kind of person he or she is reputed to be—has been used through the centuries as a mechanism integrating individuals into larger social units, serving as a tool to punish those who do not adhere to a particular group's social norms and values, and even uniting or dividing societies. Because of the importance of reputation in starting or continuing a personal relationship or business deal, or in gaining employment, individuals and groups engage in various efforts to control, shape, and protect their reputations. These efforts might include lying and deception or resorting to violence as means to protect or promote a reputation.

Psychologists such as Sigmund Freud, Carl Rogers, and Alfred Adler discussed various forms of lying and deception as psychological defense mechanisms that individuals might utilize in order to manufacture and protect their image in front of themselves and others. Such defense mechanisms, if overutilized, can contribute to various psychological symptoms. Some psychologists argue that keeping and creating one's reputation in the form of a life narrative is a major human motive. Research on reputation has focused on the biological and evolutionary bases of reputation, types of reputation, the role of reputation in personal relationships and friendships, and the role of reputation in business. Recently, research has considered the consequences of the new Internet, technological, and communication advancements on reputation, especially among youth, and the mental and physical health consequences of reputation construction or damage.

Deception can be seen as part of nature. Camouflaging is a known natural mechanism in which an animal evolves to have physical characteristics that make it not salient in its background. In addition, some animals engage in deception in order to survive or project strength. For example, a tiger might hide before it jumps on its prey. Studies of both vertebrates and invertebrates have shown that social animals use reputation as a source of information about members of the group and their fighting abilities. Reputations can form by direct encounters or witnessing encounters with others. Once formed, a reputation can serve in survival and determine social hierarchy and strategies utilized in future conflicts. Moreover, the formation of a particular reputation can contribute to social order and a reduction in the frequency of conflicts. Misperceiving the abilities of another animal can result in dangerous consequences. From an evolutionary point of view, lying and deception in regard to reputation are not favored, because they interfere with the process of natural selection.