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External validity of a laboratory measure of cheating: Evidence from Czech juvenile detention centers

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  • Cingl, Lubomír
  • Korbel, Václav

Abstract

Evidence of external validity of laboratory measures of the propensity to cheat is scarce. We conduct a lab-in-the-field experiment with 303 youths incarcerated in juvenile detention centers in the Czech Republic to study whether a laboratory measure of cheating correlates with their field behavior. We combine two complementary field-behavior measures: current (mis-)behavior reported by detention center staff as a short-term individual characteristic, and a sum of the types of delinquent acts (e.g. aggression, truancy, petty crimes) officially recorded as the reasons for their detention as a long-term characteristic. We find that behavior in the laboratory task measuring cheating significantly correlates with both field measures. Overall, our results suggest that the experimental cheating measure may generalize well into natural environments.

Suggested Citation

  • Cingl, Lubomír & Korbel, Václav, 2020. "External validity of a laboratory measure of cheating: Evidence from Czech juvenile detention centers," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:191:y:2020:i:c:s0165176520300847
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2020.109094
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zhixin Dai & Fabio Galeotti & Marie Claire Villeval, 2018. "Cheating in the Lab Predicts Fraud in the Field: An Experiment in Public Transportation," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 64(3), pages 1081-1100, March.
    2. Lubomir Cingl & Vaclav Korbel, 2018. "Underlying Motivations For Rule-Violation Among Juvenile Delinquents: A Lab-in-the-Field Experiment," Working Papers IES 2018/18, Charles University Prague, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Economic Studies, revised Jan 2018.
    3. Urs Fischbacher & Franziska Föllmi-Heusi, 2013. "Lies In Disguise—An Experimental Study On Cheating," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 11(3), pages 525-547, June.
    4. Alain Cohn & Michel André Maréchal & Thomas Noll, 2015. "Bad Boys: How Criminal Identity Salience Affects Rule Violation," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 82(4), pages 1289-1308.
    5. Alain Cohn & Michel André Maréchal, 2018. "Laboratory Measure of Cheating Predicts School Misconduct," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 128(615), pages 2743-2754, November.
    6. Bucciol, Alessandro & Piovesan, Marco, 2011. "Luck or cheating? A field experiment on honesty with children," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 73-78, February.
    7. Johannes Abeler & Daniele Nosenzo & Collin Raymond, 2019. "Preferences for Truth‐Telling," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 87(4), pages 1115-1153, July.
    8. Fehr, Ernst & Glätzle-Rützler, Daniela & Sutter, Matthias, 2013. "The development of egalitarianism, altruism, spite and parochialism in childhood and adolescence," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 369-383.
    9. Rema Hanna & Shing-Yi Wang, 2017. "Dishonesty and Selection into Public Service: Evidence from India," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 9(3), pages 262-290, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. 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.
    2. Alain Cohn & Tobias Gesche & Michel André Maréchal, 2022. "Honesty in the Digital Age," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(2), pages 827-845, February.
    3. Elisabeth Gsottbauer & Daniel Müller & Samuel Müller & Stefan T Trautmann & Galina Zudenkova, 2022. "Social Class and (Un)Ethical Behaviour: Causal and Correlational Evidence," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 132(647), pages 2392-2411.
    4. Kai A. Konrad & Tim Lohse & Sven A. Simon, 2021. "Pecunia non olet: on the self-selection into (dis)honest earning opportunities," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 24(4), pages 1105-1130, December.
    5. Elisabeth Gsottbauer & Daniel Müller & Samuel Müller & Stefan T. Trautmann & Galina Zudenkova, 2020. "Social class and (un)ethical behavior: Causal versus correlational evidence," Working Papers 2020-10, Faculty of Economics and Statistics, Universität Innsbruck.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    External validity; Dishonesty; Experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

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