Size matters - when it comes to lies

Gerald Eisenkopf, Ruslan Gurtoviy and Verena Utikal ()

No 66, TWI Research Paper Series from Thurgauer Wirtschaftsinstitut, Universität Konstanz

Abstract: A small lie appears trivial but it obviously violates moral commandments. We analyze whether the preference for others� truth telling is absolute or depends on the size of a lie. In a laboratory experiment we compare punishment for different sizes of lies controlling for the resulting economic harm. We find that people are sensitive to the size of a lie and that this behavioral pattern is driven by honest people. People who lie themselves punish softly in any context.

Keywords: Lying; norm violation; punishment; experiment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2011
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cbe, nep-evo, nep-exp, nep-hpe and nep-soc
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

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Related works:
Working Paper: Size matters - when it comes to lies (2011)
Working Paper: Size Matters - When it Comes to Lies (2011)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:twi:respas:0066

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