A friend recently asked me if I was interested in attending an indoor concert in early October. As much as I would enjoy both his company and the music, I declined the invitation, stating that I was not yet comfortable attending an indoor concert because of COVID concerns. He replied that he totally understood, but … Continue reading Using COVID As a Reason to Decline an Invitation…
And our workplaces suffer as a result. According to a recent Wall Street Journal artcle, lying in the workplace begins before somone gets a job and ends at the exit interview. While many of us may consider our lies harmless, they could have significant consequences. The habit of lying becomes contagious, and it does not … Continue reading Most People Lie Two to Four Times Per Day
I might have to try this little experiment. In the most recent edition of "Ask Ariely", a reader asked behavioral economist Dan Ariely the following question: For Halloween this year, we are going to leave a plastic jack-o-lantern full of wrapped treats on the doorstep along with a sign that says “Only one piece of … Continue reading Mirror, Mirror On the Wall. Who’s the Most Honest Trick-or-Treater of All?
People are more likely to return a lost wallet with money inside than an empty wallet. That should seem like a given to me, but apparently, it came as a surprise to a group of international researchers who set out to test the tension between financial self-interest and the honesty of people around the world. The … Continue reading People Are More Honest Than We Think, and I Find That Sad
If students were left alone in a room to take a test, with no supervision, how many would cheat? If it's a small number, is it worth creating an elaborate set of rules and procedures to prevent such cheating? Would such rules and procedures send a message to the honest students that we don't trust … Continue reading A Thought Experiment
Borden's Blather 