I Will Not Give You a Straight Answer: Context-Dependent Protective Effects of Ambiguous Responses / No voy a responder de forma directa: efectos protectores de las respuestas ambiguas en función del contexto

Previous research has shown that people providing ambiguous responses to questions are seen as less likable than those who provide responses that are specific or precise. However, the present research, comprising six studies involving Chinese samples ( N = 1,842), demonstrates that ambiguous responses can yield more favorable outcomes than absolute denial in certain contexts. Specifically, compared with outright denial, ambiguous responses elicited less negative moral evaluations and higher support intentions, suggesting a positive protective effect that helps individuals maintain their moral reputation while managing sensitive information. Moreover, this protective effect was consistently observed across both student and employee samples. However, we also identified contextual boundaries: ambiguous responses lost their protective advantage in pre-election contexts, when one’s plans were known in advance, and in competitive situations. Under these conditions, ambiguity was perceived to be as hypocritical as absolute denial. This research deepens our understanding of the social perception of honesty and helps explain the persistence of ambiguous responses in everyday social communication. Future cross-cultural research is needed to examine the generalizability of these findings.