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Do truth-telling oaths improve honesty in crowd-working?

Author

Listed:
  • Nicolas Jacquemet

    (CES - Centre d'économie de la Sorbonne - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Alexander James

    (University of Alaska [Anchorage])

  • Stéphane Luchini

    (AMSE - Aix-Marseille Sciences Economiques - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - ECM - École Centrale de Marseille - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • James Murphy

    (University of Alaska [Anchorage])

  • Jason Shogren

    (UW - University of Wyoming)

Abstract
This study explores whether an oath to honesty can reduce both shirking and lying among crowd-sourced internet workers. Using a classic coin-flip experiment, we first confirm that a substantial majority of Mechanical Turk workers both shirk and lie when reporting the number of heads flipped. We then demonstrate that lying can be reduced by first asking each worker to swear voluntarily on his or her honor to tell the truth in subsequent economic decisions. Even in this online, purely anonymous environment, the oath significantly reduced the percent of subjects telling "big" lies (by roughly 27%), but did not affect shirking. We also explore whether a truth-telling oath can be used as a screening device if implemented after decisions have been made. Conditional on flipping response, MTurk shirkers and workers who lied were significantly less likely to agree to an ex-post honesty oath. Our results suggest oaths may help elicit more truthful behavior, even in online crowd-sourced environments

Suggested Citation

  • Nicolas Jacquemet & Alexander James & Stéphane Luchini & James Murphy & Jason Shogren, 2021. "Do truth-telling oaths improve honesty in crowd-working?," Post-Print hal-03131518, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-03131518
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244958
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-03131518
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    Cited by:

    1. Jérôme Hergueux & Nicolas Jacquemet & Stéphane Luchini & Jason F. Shogren, 2022. "Leveraging the Honor Code: Public Goods Contributions under Oath," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 81(3), pages 591-616, March.
    2. Nicolas Jacquemet & Jason F. Shogren & Adam Zylbersztejn & Stéphane Luchini, 2023. "Commitment to the truth creates trust in market exchange: Experimental evidence," Working Papers halshs-04391214, HAL.
    3. Nicolas Jacquemet & Stéphane Luchini & J Rosaz & J F Shogren, 2021. "Can we commit future managers to honesty?," PSE-Ecole d'économie de Paris (Postprint) halshs-03277342, HAL.
    4. Le Maux, Benoît & Necker, Sarah, 2023. "Honesty nudges: Effect varies with content but not with timing," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 433-456.
    5. Babin, J. Jobu & Chauhan, Haritima S., 2024. "Replication: Erat and Gneezy’s white lies paradigm," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    6. Andersson, Henrik & Ouvrard, Benjamin, 2023. "Priming and the value of a statistical life: A cross country comparison," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    7. Cherry, Todd L. & James, Alexander G. & Murphy, James, 2021. "The impact of public health messaging and personal experience on the acceptance of mask wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 415-430.
    8. Babin, J. Jobu & Chauhan, Haritima S. & Liu, Feng, 2022. "You Can’t Hide Your Lying Eyes: Honesty Oaths and Misrepresentation," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    9. Andersson, Henrik & Ouvrard, Benjamin, 2023. "Priming and the Value of a Statistical Life: A Cross Country Comparison," TSE Working Papers 23-1439, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE).
    10. Babin, J. Jobu & Foray, Marine & Hussey, Andrew, 2021. "Shelter-in-place orders, loneliness, and collaborative behavior," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Experimental Economics; Honesty; Solemn Oath; Mechanical Turk; Lying; Shirking;
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