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Commitment Requests Do Not Affect Truth-Telling in Laboratory and Online Experiments

Author

Listed:
  • Tobias Cagala

    (Deutsche Bundesbank)

  • Ulrich Glogowsky

    (University of Linz)

  • Johannes Rincke

    (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg)

  • Simeon Schudy

    (Ulm University)

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

  • Tobias Cagala & Ulrich Glogowsky & Johannes Rincke & Simeon Schudy, 2023. "Commitment Requests Do Not Affect Truth-Telling in Laboratory and Online Experiments," Rationality and Competition Discussion Paper Series 466, CRC TRR 190 Rationality and Competition.
    • Handle: RePEc:rco:dpaper:466
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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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