Social value orientation and deception: are proselfs liars?

•Ample research shows that social value orientations influence deception.•Proselfs are often found to use more deception than prosocials.•Proselfs and prosocials may deceive, but that they do so to reach different goals.•Both lie when they consider this the most effective means to reach their goals.

Ample research has shown that social value orientations influence unethical behavior, and deception in particular: Proselfs (or individuals with situationally induced selfish motives) are often found to use more deception than prosocials (or individuals with induced cooperative goals). Previous research, however, has often focused on self-interest as the main motive for using deception, and overlooked prosocial motives for lying, like ingroup-favoring dishonesty or lies which aim at reaching fair outcomes. An instrumental perspective on deception [18], stating that bargainers select the most effective means to reach their goals, contends that deception by proselfs varies with the availability of alternative means, that proselfs and prosocials may deceive, but that they do so to reach different goals, and that the expectation of a counterpart's social motive is a crucial predictor of whether deception is an effective means to reach one's goals.