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ethics
You are more likely to lie when the incentive is small.
Research indicates that the level of dishonesty is largely independent of the magnitude of the reward.
The 2008 study found that participants cheated to a similar extent regardless of whether the potential gain was small or large, supporting the theory that people balance profit against self-concept rather than performing a simple cost-benefit analysis.
Your integrity is easier to compromise when the cost is trivial.
Where this comes from
- Study
- Mazar, Amir, and Ariely, 2008, Journal of Marketing Research
- What the check found
- The original study (Mazar et al., 2008) shows that dishonesty is constant across different reward levels, rather than more frequent for smaller gains. The claim misrepresents the findings of the study.
- Confidence
- Solid, with limits
Related
One of these every day, and every one names the study it came from. When a finding is contested, it says so.