Monetary incentives and the contagion of unethical behavior

Le Maux B, Masclet D, Necker S (2024)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2024

Journal

Journal of the Economic Science Association Cambridge University Press

Book Volume: 10

Pages Range: 213-231

Issue: 2

DOI: 10.1007/s40881-024-00175-5

Abstract

We examine how monetary incentives and information about others’ dishonesty affect lying decisions and whether these two dimensions interact with each other. Our experiment consists of a repeated cheating game where we vary the monetary incentives (Low, High, and Very High) and information about others’ dishonesty (With or Without information). We find that dishonesty decreases when payoffs are Very High. Information has only a weak positive effect on average. Conditioning on beliefs, we find that those who overestimate (underestimate) cheating reduce (increase) dishonesty. Information and payoffs do not interact with each other.

Authors with CRIS profile

Sarah Necker Lehrstuhl für Volkswirtschaftslehre

Involved external institutions

Université de Rennes 1 / University of Rennes 1 FR France (FR)

How to cite

APA:

Le Maux, B., Masclet, D., & Necker, S. (2024). Monetary incentives and the contagion of unethical behavior. Journal of the Economic Science Association, 10, 213-231. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40881-024-00175-5

MLA:

Le Maux, Benoit, David Masclet, and Sarah Necker. "Monetary incentives and the contagion of unethical behavior." Journal of the Economic Science Association 10 (2024): 213-231.

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