An experiment on excuses for dishonesty

• Main Authors: Choo, Jun Xian, Goh, Cherene Xiu Ting, Hoo, Qiao Qian
• Other Authors: Jonathan Tan
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2023
• Subjects: Social sciences::Economic theory; Social sciences::Psychology::Behaviorism
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/165830
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This research paper investigates the impact of perceived fairness on dishonest behavior. The study aims to understand how an individual's perception of fairness in a given situation affects their likelihood of engaging in dishonest behavior. The paper draws upon previous research on behavioral economics to develop a theoretical framework for understanding the relationship between fairness and dishonesty. The research design involves a laboratory experiment in which 78 students from Nanyang Technological University who took part in the study were asked to complete various ball-catching tasks and were given opportunities to cheat. The study measures participants' perceptions of fairness before and after the task, as well as their level of dishonest behavior. The results of the study suggest that perceived fairness has a significant impact on dishonesty, with participants who perceive the situation as unfair being more likely to engage in dishonest behavior. Keywords: Perceived fairness, dishonesty, excuses, motivated reasoning, self-selection, dictator