Psychologist Angela Duckworth and technology executive Mike Maughan discussed Professor of Psychology and Molly Mason Jones Chair in Psychology Stacey Wood鈥檚 research on scams during the latest episode of their podcast .
In the broadcast, Duckworth referenced Wood鈥檚 work in a 2021 article published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, 鈥�?鈥� and touched on the potential shame victims feel when scammers take advantage of them.
鈥淪cams have several features that distinguish them from most, if not all, other crimes. The perpetrators can be and often are located far away from their potential victims. Also, potential victims must play an active role in the process. They provide personal information, send money, keep the activity secret, and fail to report it to the authorities,鈥� Duckworth quoted from the article. 鈥淚n fact, without the victim鈥檚 involvement, most scams would simply fail. Thus, although there is a large scope for researchers to examine the underlying mechanisms involved in individuals鈥� engagement with and adherence to scammer鈥檚 requests and demands, there is a paucity of data on the topic.鈥�