The frame of the game: Loss-framing increases dishonest behavior
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
Authors
Occasionally, people trade monetary gains for moral costs and engage in dishonest behavior. Based on research showing that people react more sensitively toward a possible loss compared to a possible gain (i.e., loss aversion), the present contribution examines the idea that people will more likely engage in dishonest behavior to reduce the extent of a loss compared to increasing the extent of a gain. In the two experimental studies, participants could engage in dishonest behavior either to avoid a loss (loss condition) or to approach an equivalent gain (gain condition). To assess dishonest behavior, a die-under-the-cup paradigm (Study 1) and a coin-toss task (Study 2) was applied. Results of both studies demonstrated the predicted effect of framing, supporting the idea that people show more dishonest behavior to avoid a loss compared to approaching an equivalent gain.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Journal of Experimental Social Psychology |
Volume | 69 |
Pages (from-to) | 172-177 |
Number of pages | 6 |
ISSN | 0022-1031 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 01.03.2017 |
Externally published | Yes |
- Dishonest behavior, Framing, Gain, Loss aversion
- Psychology