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Motivation, money, prestige and cheats

Author

Listed:
  • Pascual-Ezama, David
  • Prelec, Drazen
  • Dunfield, Derek

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of supervision and incentives on subjects’ performance and cheating behavior in a real effort task. With a sample of 540 participants in three different experiments, we investigated the interaction between motivation and monetary and social rewards, with and without supervision. Our results suggest: (1) lack of supervision promotes cheating, though workers tend to cheat moderately; (2) both economic and social incentives increase motivation but only when workers like their jobs; (3) workers do not increase their band of acceptable dishonest behavior for possible economic rewards, but they do increase dishonest behavior for possible social rewards, like prestige.

Suggested Citation

  • Pascual-Ezama, David & Prelec, Drazen & Dunfield, Derek, 2013. "Motivation, money, prestige and cheats," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 367-373.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:93:y:2013:i:c:p:367-373
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2013.03.015
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labor supply supervision; Dishonesty behavior; Economic and social motivation; Theory of Self-Concept Maintenance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D03 - Microeconomics - - General - - - Behavioral Microeconomics: Underlying Principles
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J30 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - General
    • M50 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - General

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