"What if he were faithful in his private life, despite publicly promoting infidelity? Such a scenario contains what many consider the main ingredients of hypocrisy: failing to practice privately what one preaches publicly. A study tested whether people would agree. It showed one group of people an article about Biderman that simply mentioned he had promoted adultery; a separate group saw the article with additional information that it had been discovered that Biderman was personally faithful in private."
"This may seem like a contrived example. Surely people go around concealing their vices, not their virtues? But hypocrisy is not just about morality-it's about claims to self-image or status of various kinds. Say you build your personal or corporate brand as a freethinking maverick. If it turns out that you have always played by the rules, that will mark you as an inauthentic hypocrite who nonetheless does the right thing."
People often are not strongly bothered by accusations of hypocrisy, and responses vary by context. A case involving Ashley Madison’s founder shows that discovering private virtue amid public promotion of vice can increase perceived hypocrisy while also enhancing positive regard. Hypocrisy concerns extend beyond morality to claims about self-image and status. Projecting a freethinking or maverick brand while actually following rules creates inauthenticity but can still reflect admirable behavior. Not practicing what one preaches can sometimes boost the persuasive power of the preaching, with professional examples invoked such as doctors who emphasize health commitments.
Read at Big Think
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