(Dis)honesty in the face of uncertain gains or losses

Three experiments examine dishonest behavior in the face of potential uncertain gains and losses. Ample research has shown that people cheat when presented with the opportunity (e.g., Ariely, 2012; Fischbacher & Föllmi-Heusi, 2013; Shalvi, Dana, Handgraaf, & De Dreu, 2011), yet this research usually examined situations where cheating certainly leads to desired outcomes. In real life, however, the consequences of cheating are typically uncertain: Cheating will not directly translate into beneficial certain outcomes, but rather increases the likelihood to get a desired outcome. We investigate cheating in a die-under-cup paradigm, in which participants could cheat when reporting a private die roll and thereby increase the odds to obtain a desired outcome. Results showed that the framing of the uncertain situation mattered: Participants overstated their results to avoid experiencing a loss but not to secure an equivalent gain.