Understanding the Link between Intelligence and Lying

Michalis Drouvelis and Graeme Pearce

No 9223, CESifo Working Paper Series from CESifo

Abstract: Standard economic theory suggests that the decision to lie requires careful weighting of the associated economic costs and benefits, raising the question of whether intelligence matters for misbehaviour. Using the die roll paradigm, we compare behaviour between individuals who score either low or high on a Raven test when lying only benefits the subject who lies (Selfish treatment) or a charitable cause (Charity treatment). We find that high Raven individuals are honest in the Selfish treatment; however, their aversion to lying vanishes in the Charity treatment. Our results have important implications for the rapidly growing lying literature, indicating that intelligence is a key characteristic of misbehaviour.

Keywords: intelligence levels; die roll paradigm; honesty (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C90 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-exp, nep-isf and nep-neu
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ces:ceswps:_9223

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