Signing at the Beginning Makes Ethics Salient and Decreases Dishonest Self-Reports in Comparison to Signing at the End

Shu, Lisa L., Nina Mazar, Francesca Gino, Dan Ariely, and Max H. Bazerman (2012), Signing at the beginning makes ethics salient and decreases dishonest self-reports in comparison to signing at the end, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109 (38), 15197-15200.

Posted: 30 Aug 2012 Last revised: 28 May 2013

See all articles by Lisa L. Shu

Lisa L. Shu

Harvard University - Business School (HBS); Harvard University - Department of Psychology; Harvard University - Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics

Nina Mazar

Boston University - Questrom School of Business

Francesca Gino

Harvard University - Business School (HBS)

Dan Ariely

Duke University - Fuqua School of Business

Max H. Bazerman

Harvard Business School - Negotiations, Organizations and Markets Unit

Date Written: August 27, 2012

Abstract

Many written forms required by businesses and governments rely on honest reporting. Proof of honest intent is typically provided through signature at the end of, e.g., tax returns or insurance policy forms. Still, people sometimes cheat to advance their financial self-interests - at great costs to society. We test an easy-to-implement method to discourage dishonesty: signing at the beginning rather than at the end of a self-report, thereby reversing the order of the current practice. Using laboratory and field experiments, we find that signing before - rather than after - the opportunity to cheat makes ethics salient when they are needed most and significantly reduces dishonesty.

Former working paper titles: “Curtailing Fraud: One Signature at a Time” and “When to Sign on the Dotted Line? Signing First Makes Ethics Salient and Decreases Dishonest Self-Reports.”

Keywords: ethics, signature, honesty, cheating, morality, nudge, policy-making, fraud

Suggested Citation

Shu, Lisa L. and Mazar, Nina and Gino, Francesca and Ariely, Dan and Bazerman, Max H., Signing at the Beginning Makes Ethics Salient and Decreases Dishonest Self-Reports in Comparison to Signing at the End (August 27, 2012). Shu, Lisa L., Nina Mazar, Francesca Gino, Dan Ariely, and Max H. Bazerman (2012), Signing at the beginning makes ethics salient and decreases dishonest self-reports in comparison to signing at the end, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109 (38), 15197-15200., Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2137848

Lisa L. Shu

Harvard University - Business School (HBS) ( email )

Baker Library 444C
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Harvard University - Department of Psychology ( email )

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Harvard University - Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics ( email )

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Nina Mazar (Contact Author)

Boston University - Questrom School of Business ( email )

595 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA MA 02215
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Francesca Gino

Harvard University - Business School (HBS) ( email )

Soldiers Field Road
Morgan 270C
Boston, MA 02163
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Dan Ariely

Duke University - Fuqua School of Business ( email )

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(919) 381-4366 (Phone)

Max H. Bazerman

Harvard Business School - Negotiations, Organizations and Markets Unit ( email )

Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
United States
617-495-6429 (Phone)
617-496-4191 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.people.hbs.edu/mbazerman

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