Study analyzes how lies affect economic decisions

Psychology and economics have come together in a recent study, led by Professor Ismael Rodríguez Lara of the University of Malaga, that studies how lies affect economic decisions.

This is a study, co-authored with University of California (Santa Barbara) Professor Gary Charnes, that analyzes the way in which morality affects the extent to which people lie in certain economic situations. she does. The results of this research have been revealed. published In Scientific Journal Economics Letters.

“In many economic situations such as tax filing or tax fraud, to give a few examples, it is crucial to understand when, how and why people lie,” says the UMA researcher.

Based on experiments carried out in the UK last year, it has been shown that it is the ‘moral costs’, which encompass entirely non-economic aspects, that determine that people lie less. A total of 1,000 people have been studied.

“It is normal to consider that the degree of lying is affected. Economic problemsLike the benefits we get or the possible costs we have to pay in the form of fines,” explains Rodríguez Lara. However, the findings from this research show that ethics are also important: “When information is disclosed is being done. is personal, then people lie less than if the information is impersonal,” he says.

In this sense, the UMA professor points out that it is due to factors related to people’s expectations not to disappoint themselves, as well as distinguishing themselves from the rest. “People feel a higher moral value of lying when the information is personal because they know it is a lie and they cannot deceive themselves. If the information is impersonal, they are more likely to believe it. They cheat Information They reveal the truth,” he says.

According to the professor, this finding is relevant because “working on the discourse, that is, the way in which the economic problem is posed, can condition the response, can reduce lying.”

Under the name ‘Personal Lies’, the project focused on lies and Ethical behavior will be complemented by a new line of study already being conducted, which also addresses the influence of attempted lying.