Information manipulation theory: A replication and assessment

Abstract

>Information manipulation theory (IMT) applies Grice's (1975; 1989) conversational maxims to the design of deceptive messages, but ignores the role of implicatures in deception. As a result, IMT proposes a dubious editing model of deception and an implausible conception of what it is that makes a deceptive message misleading. An alternative model, based on Grice's theory of implicature, proposes that deception involves the manipulation of information so as to generate false implicatures. McCornack's (1992; McCornack et al., 1992) studies are replicated with the inclusion of explicit checks to determine the covertness of the purported deceptive messages and to check manipulation of information‐type (Quantity, Quality, Relevance, and Manner violations). None of the results are consistent with IMT predictions. Instead, the results uniformly support a model of deceptive message design based on conversational implicature.