A landmark study that endorsed a simple way to curb cheating is going to be retracted nearly a decade later after a group of scientists found that it relied on faked data.

According to the 2012 paper, when people signed an honesty declaration at the beginning of a form, rather than the end, they were less likely to lie. A seemingly cheap and effective method to fight fraud, it was adopted by at least one insurance company, tested by government agencies around the world, and taught to corporate executives. It made a splash among academics, who cited it in their own research more than 400 times.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniemlee/dan-ariely-honesty-study-retraction

On Mon, 23 Aug 2021 14:04:20 -0700 (PDT), Fred Bloggs
<bloggs.fredbloggs.fred@gmail.com> wrote:

>A landmark study that endorsed a simple way to curb cheating is going to be retracted nearly a decade later after a group of scientists found that it relied on faked data.
>
>According to the 2012 paper, when people signed an honesty declaration at the beginning of a form, rather than the end, they were less likely to lie. A seemingly cheap and effective method to fight fraud, it was adopted by at least one insurance company, tested by government agencies around the world, and taught to corporate executives. It made a splash among academics, who cited it in their own research more than 400 times.
>
>
>https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniemlee/dan-ariely-honesty-study-retraction

Typical soft-science research; over half is wrong for various reasons.

On Tuesday, August 24, 2021 at 7:17:45 AM UTC+10, John Larkin wrote:
> On Mon, 23 Aug 2021 14:04:20 -0700 (PDT), Fred Bloggs
> <bloggs.fred...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> >A landmark study that endorsed a simple way to curb cheating is going to be retracted nearly a decade later after a group of scientists found that it relied on faked data.
> >
> >According to the 2012 paper, when people signed an honesty declaration at the beginning of a form, rather than the end, they were less likely to lie. A seemingly cheap and effective method to fight fraud, it was adopted by at least one insurance company, tested by government agencies around the world, and taught to corporate executives. It made a splash among academics, who cited it in their own research more than 400 times.
> >
> >https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniemlee/dan-ariely-honesty-study-retraction
>
> Typical soft-science research; over half is wrong for various reasons.

I wonder where John Larkin got that "more than half wrong" number?

--
Bill Sloman, Sydney

On 8/23/2021 2:04 PM, Fred Bloggs wrote:
> A landmark study that endorsed a simple way to curb cheating is going to be
> retracted nearly a decade later after a group of scientists found that it
> relied on faked data.

Have you never wondered why stores employ "greeters" -- who serve no REAL
function relative to providing customer assistance or increased sales
volume?

Or, why stores have a monitor displaying the video feed of shoppers
as they enter a store?

People are less likely to misbehave (shoplift) if they have made contact
with a human being on entry to the store. Or, seen themselves on
a video feed (even though they knew, all along, that they were likely
being surveilled -- "Cameras in Use")

Fred Bloggs wrote:
==================
> A landmark study

** No way.

> that endorsed a simple way to curb cheating

**That did not work much.

> that it relied on faked data.

** From an outside source, who knew exactly what was needed to get paid.
Not news

........ Phil

On 2021-08-23, John Larkin <jlarkin@highland_atwork_technology.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 23 Aug 2021 14:04:20 -0700 (PDT), Fred Bloggs
><bloggs.fredbloggs.fred@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>A landmark study that endorsed a simple way to curb cheating is going to be retracted nearly a decade later after a group of scientists found that it relied on faked data.
>>
>>According to the 2012 paper, when people signed an honesty declaration at the beginning of a form, rather than the end, they were less likely to lie. A seemingly cheap and effective method to fight fraud, it was adopted by at least one insurance company, tested by government agencies around the world, and taught to corporate executives. It made a splash among academics, who cited it in their own research more than 400 times.
>>
>>
>>https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stephaniemlee/dan-ariely-honesty-study-retraction
>
> Typical soft-science research; over half is wrong for various reasons.

Hmm, self-referential, is that some kind of Bayesian lie algebra?

--
Jasen.