TY  - RPRT
        AU  - Reuben, Ernesto
AU  - Stephenson, Matthew
        TI  - Nobody Likes a Rat: On the Willingness and Consequences of Reporting Lies
        PY  - 2012/Nov/
        PB  - Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
        CY  - Bonn
        T2  - IZA Discussion Paper
        IS  - 6998
        UR  - https://www.iza.org/publications/dp6998
        AB  - We investigate the intrinsic motivation of individuals to report, and thereby sanction, fellow group members who lie for personal gain. We further explore the changes in lying and reporting behavior that result from giving individuals a say in who joins their group. We find that enough individuals are willing to report lies such that in fixed groups lying is unprofitable. However, we also find that when groups can select their members, individuals who report lies are generally shunned, even by groups where lying is absent. This facilitates the formation of dishonest groups where lying is prevalent and reporting is nonexistent.
        KW  - lying aversion
KW  - whistleblowing
KW  - social norms
KW  - dishonesty
KW  - lying
        ER  -