The Honest Truth about Dishonesty -- Dan Ariely

The Honest Truth about Dishonesty -- Dan Ariely

>>> SMORC -- simple model of rational crime -- cost/benefit analysis
Not as simple as it seems. --- people would have cheated more if it is based solely on SMORC

>>> Distance from money
The larger the distance, the more likely that people will cheat
Eg, people will not take petty cash to buy pencils to bring home, but will not thing twice taking stationeries home from office
Eg2, people will more likely to cheat if paid in tokens (and then exchange for cash) than in outright cash

>>> Blinded by our own motivations
conflict of interest -- giving people a way to rationalize

>>> Why we blow it when we are tired?
Mental or physical tiredness will cause people to give in to temptation to cheat
Eg, illegal parking, stopping, U-turn

>>> Why wearing fakes make us cheat more?
Having done one small cheating (immoral act), people are more likely to commit another dishonest act

>>> Cheating ourselves
Make belief

>>> Creativity and dishonesty
Creative minds can come up with more ways to rationalize a dishonest act

>>> Cheating as an infection
If you identify yourself with the people who cheat, you are likely to follow the crowd
If you identify the cheater as an outsider (from rivalry group), you will cheat less than normal
Crimes, even very small ones, should not be tolerated else others will be tempted to follow

>>> Collaborative cheating
Altruistic cheating -- aka Robin Hood (benefiting others)
Monitoring by others (big brothers watching)
Relationship between boss and worker will determine

>>> People don't cheat enough
No cultural difference -- all humans are the same when it comes to cheating
The different environment (rules and implementations allowing cheating) causes the difference in amount of cheating in different countries

Forces that shape dishonesty ---

Increase dishonesty :
Ability to rationalize
Conflict of interest
Creativity
One immoral act
Bring depleted
Others benefiting from our dishonesty
Watching others behave dishonestly
Culture that gives examples of dishonesty

Decrease dishonesty :
Pledge
Signatures
Moral reminders
Supervision

No effect :
Amount of money to be gained
Probability of being caught