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The Way People Lie in Markets: Detectable vs. Deniable Lies

Author

Listed:
  • Tergiman, Chloe

    (Pennsylvania State University)

  • Villeval, Marie Claire

    (CNRS)

Abstract

In a finitely repeated game with asymmetric information, we experimentally study how individuals adapt the nature of their lies when settings allow for reputation-building. While some lies can be detected ex post by the uninformed party, others remain deniable. We find that traditional market mechanisms such as reputation generate strong changes in the way people lie and lead to strategies in which individuals can maintain plausible deniability: people simply hide their lies better by substituting deniable lies for detectable lies. Our results highlight the limitations of reputation to root out fraud when a Deniable Lie strategy is available.

Suggested Citation

  • Tergiman, Chloe & Villeval, Marie Claire, 2021. "The Way People Lie in Markets: Detectable vs. Deniable Lies," IZA Discussion Papers 14931, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp14931
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    Cited by:

    1. My, Kene Boun & Jacob, Julien & Lefebvre, Mathieu, 2025. "AI devices and liability," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    2. Sorravich Kingsuwankul & Chloe Tergiman & Marie Claire Villeval, 2023. "Why do oaths work? Image concerns and credibility in promise keeping," Working Papers hal-04209489, HAL.
    3. J. Jobu Babin & Haritima S. Chauhan, 2023. "Show no quarter: combating plausible lies with ex-ante honesty oaths," Journal of the Economic Science Association, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 9(1), pages 66-76, June.
    4. Kosse, Fabian & Rajan, Ranjita & Tincani, Michela M., 2023. "The Persistent Effect of Competition on Prosociality," IZA Discussion Papers 16595, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Gabriele Camera & Rod Garratt & Cyril Monnet, 2024. "Truth by Consensus: A Theoretical and Empirical Investigation," Working Papers 24-10, Chapman University, Economic Science Institute.
    6. Kotakorpi, Kaisa & Nurminen, Tuomas & Miettinen, Topi & Metsälampi, Satu, 2024. "Bearing the burden — Implications of tax reporting institutions on evasion and incidence," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 81-134.
    7. Sun, Keh-Kuan & Papadokonstantaki, Stella, 2023. "Lying aversion and vague communication: An experimental study," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    8. Marie-Claire Villeval, 2025. "Honesty and lie aversion," Post-Print hal-04794573, HAL.
    9. Alicia von Schenk & Victor Klockmann & Jean-Franc{c}ois Bonnefon & Iyad Rahwan & Nils Kobis, 2022. "Lie detection algorithms attract few users but vastly increase accusation rates," Papers 2212.04277, arXiv.org.
    10. Despoina Alempaki & Valeria Burdea & Daniel Read, 2021. "Deceptive Communication: Direct Lies vs. Ignorance, Partial-Truth and Silence," CESifo Working Paper Series 9286, CESifo.
    11. Ekström, Mathias & Bjorvatn, Kjetil & Mota, Pablo Soto & Sjåstad, Hallgeir, 2025. "Making a promise increases the moral cost of lying: Evidence from Norway and the United States," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 233(C).
    12. Fabian Kosse & Ranjita Rajan & Michela Tincani, 2023. "The Persistent Effect of Competition on Prosociality," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 449, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
    13. von Schenk, Alicia & Klockmann, Victor & Bonnefon, Jean-François & Rahwan, Iyad & Köbis, Nils, 2023. "Lie-detection algorithms attract few users but vastly increase accusation rates," IAST Working Papers 23-155, Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse (IAST).
    14. Marie Claire Villeval, 2024. "Dishonesty: A Behavioral Perspective," Post-Print hal-04369865, HAL.
    15. Veittinger Fabian & Lohse Tim & Qari Salmai, 2025. "Soft Regulation for Financial Advisors," Review of Law & Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 21(2), pages 357-385.
    16. Kaisa Kotakorpiⓡ & Tuomas Nurminenⓡ & Topi Miettinen ⓡ & Satu Metsälampiⓡ & Kaisa Kotakorpi, 2022. "Bearing the Burden - Implications of Tax Reporting Institutions and Image Concerns on Evasion and Incidence," CESifo Working Paper Series 9791, CESifo.
    17. Fabian Kosse & Ranjita Rajan & Michela Tincani, 2023. "The Persistent Effect of Competition on Prosociality," Working Papers 2023-028, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    18. Lang, Matthias & Schudy, Simeon, 2023. "(Dis)honesty and the value of transparency for campaign promises," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    19. Fabian Kosse & Ranjita Rajan & Michela Tincani & Michela Maria Tincani, 2023. "The Persistent Effect of Competition on Prosociality," CESifo Working Paper Series 10779, CESifo.
    20. Martínez-Carrasco, Miguel A. & Schmidbauer, Eric & Hamman, John, 2025. "Project selection with biased advice: An experiment on competitive cheap talk," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 232(C).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • D01 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Microeconomic Behavior: Underlying Principles
    • G41 - Financial Economics - - Behavioral Finance - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making in Financial Markets
    • M21 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Economics - - - Business Economics

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