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The impact of two different economic systems on dishonesty

Author

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  • Ariely, Dan
  • Garcia-Rada, Ximena
  • Gödker, Katrin
  • Hornuf, Lars
  • Mann, Heather

Abstract

Using an artefactual field experiment, this paper tests the long-term implications of living in a specific economic system on individual dishonesty. By comparing cheating behaviour across individuals from the former socialist East of Germany with those of the capitalist West of Germany, we examine behavioural differences within a single country. We find long-term implications of living in a specific economic system for individual dishonesty when social interactions are possible: participants with an East German background cheated significantly more on an abstract die-rolling task than those with a West German background, but only when exposed to the enduring system of former West Germany. Moreover, our results indicate that the longer individuals had experienced socialist East Germany, the more likely they were to cheat on the behavioural task.

Suggested Citation

  • Ariely, Dan & Garcia-Rada, Ximena & Gödker, Katrin & Hornuf, Lars & Mann, Heather, 2019. "The impact of two different economic systems on dishonesty," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 179-195.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:poleco:v:59:y:2019:i:c:p:179-195
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2019.02.010
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    Cited by:

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    2. Gründler, Klaus & Hillman, Arye L., 2021. "Ambiguous protection," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    3. Mocan, Naci & Bielen, Samantha & Marneffe, Wim, 2020. "Quality of judicial institutions, crimes, misdemeanors, and dishonesty," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    4. Lars Hornuf & Lars Klöhn, 2019. "Do judges hate speculators?," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 147-169, April.
    5. Ramon P. DeGennaro & Daniel J. Smith, 2023. "Harold A. Black academic conference: an introduction to the special issue," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 197(3), pages 317-324, December.
    6. Katrin Schmelz & Anthony Ziegelmeyer, 2020. "State Coercion and Control Aversion: Evidence from an Internet Study in East and West Germany," TWI Research Paper Series 117, Thurgauer Wirtschaftsinstitut, Universität Konstanz.
    7. Lars Hornuf & Marc Oliver Rieger & Sven A. Hartmann, 2023. "Can television reduce xenophobia? The case of East Germany," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 76(1), pages 77-100, February.
    8. Süssmuth, Bernd & Gawellek, Bastian & Koenings, Fabian, 2021. "Economics education, childhood socialization, and the transmission of allocation preferences," International Review of Economics Education, Elsevier, vol. 38(C).
    9. Birkelund, Johan & Cherry, Todd L. & McEvoy, David M., 2022. "A culture of cheating: The role of worldviews in preferences for honesty," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    10. Rocha Torrico, José Antonio & Rocha Balboa, José Manuel, 2020. "“Sin sangre en la cara…”: (des) honestidad, normas sociales y procesos económicos," Revista Latinoamericana de Desarrollo Economico, Carrera de Economía de la Universidad Católica Boliviana (UCB) "San Pablo", issue 33, pages 105-141, May.
    11. Sorin-George Toma & ?tefan Catana, 2022. "The Evolution Of The Largest Companies Operating In Romania In The Period 2016-2020," Management Strategies Journal, Constantin Brancoveanu University, vol. 56(2), pages 155-162.
    12. Shtudiner, Zeev & Klein, Galit, 2020. "Gender, attractiveness, and judgment of impropriety: The case of accountants," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    13. W. Robert Knechel & Natalia Mintchik, 2022. "Do Personal Beliefs and Values Affect an Individual’s “Fraud Tolerance”? Evidence from the World Values Survey," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 177(2), pages 463-489, May.
    14. Huynh, Toan L.D. & Rieger, Marc Oliver & Wang, Mei, 2022. "Cross-country comparison in dishonest behaviour: Germany and East Asian countries," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Social behaviour; Cheating; Dishonesty; Artefactual field experiment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • P52 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Comparative Economic Systems - - - Comparative Studies of Particular Economies

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