The net is where inhibitions are shed and secrets revealed

People are losing their inhibitions when they swap emails or complete questionnaires on the internet, according to Adam Joinson of the University of Glamorgan.

At a British Psychology Society conference on social psychology, held at the University of Lancaster this week, Dr Joinson presented evidence that people reveal more about themselves, often to strangers, when using the internet. For example when faced with the statement "I have sometimes doubted my ability as a lover", those answering via the internet are more likely to agree than those who use other methods to communicate.

Dr Joinson argues that anonymity, combined with a tendency to focus on oneself instead of the recipient of the communication, leads to a powerful psychological tendency toward uninhibited behaviour.

"Compared with behaviour in real life, life online is more open, candid, at times deceitful, but surprisingly often more honest," he said.

The findings could mean that social scientists who use the internet in their research will gather more revealing data.