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Commitment requests do not affect truth-telling in laboratory and online experiments

Author

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  • Cagala, Tobias
  • Glogowsky, Ulrich
  • Rincke, Johannes
  • Schudy, Simeon

Abstract

Using a standard cheating game, we investigate whether the request to sign a no-cheating declaration affects truth-telling. Our design varies the content of a no-cheating declaration (reference to ethical behavior vs. reference to possible sanctions) and the type of experiment (online vs. offline). Irrespective of the declaration's content, commitment requests do not affect truth-telling, neither in the laboratory nor online. The inefficacy of commitment requests appears robust across different samples and does not depend on psychological measures of reactance.

Suggested Citation

  • Cagala, Tobias & Glogowsky, Ulrich & Rincke, Johannes & Schudy, Simeon, 2024. "Commitment requests do not affect truth-telling in laboratory and online experiments," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 179-190.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:gamebe:v:143:y:2024:i:c:p:179-190
    DOI: 10.1016/j.geb.2023.11.014
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Cheating; Lying; Truth-telling; Compliance; Commitment; No-cheating rule; No-cheating declaration; Commitment request;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles

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