Name: Our buggy moral code
Uploaded: 2009-03-17T01:00:00Z
Duration: 16 min 3 s
Description: Behavioral economist Dan Ariely studies the bugs in our moral code: the hidden reasons we think it's OK to cheat or steal (sometimes). Clever studies help make his point that we're predictably irrational -- and can be influenced in ways we can't grasp.

Behavioral economist Dan Ariely studies the bugs in our moral code: the hidden reasons we think it's OK to cheat or steal (sometimes). Clever studies help make his point that we're predictably irrational -- and can be influenced in ways we can't grasp.

Our buggy moral code

People routinely act irrationally and cheat in small ways, even when they see themselves as honest. In a striking experiment, average participants doubled their cheating when rewarded with tokens instead of cash. Subtle cues, like reminders of moral codes or seeing others in their group cheat, can dramatically alter behavior. Testing our intuitions with evidence, not just gut feeling, is crucial for better decisions in life and policy.