Being honest is not predetermined fate but a choice of free will, says a new study.
Washington, Jan 30 : Being honest is not predetermined fate but a choice of free will, says a new study.
In two experiments, psychologists Kathleen Vohs of the University of Minnesota and Jonathan Schooler of the University of British Columbia, set out to see if otherwise honest people would cheat and lie if their beliefs in free will were manipulated.
In one experiment, the researchers gave college students a mathematics exam. The math problems appeared on a computer screen, and the subjects were told that a computer glitch would cause the answers to appear on the screen as well. To prevent the answers from showing up, the students had to hit the space bar as soon as the problems appeared.
In fact, the scientists were observing to see if the participants surreptitiously used the answers instead of solving the problems honestly on their own. Prior to the math test, th scientists used a well-established method to prime the subjects' beliefs regarding free will: some of the students were taught that science disproves the notion of free will and that the illusion of free will was a mere artifact of the brain's biochemistry whereas others got no such indoctrination.
The results were clear: those with weaker convictions about their power to control their own destiny were more apt to cheat when given the opportunity as compared to those whose beliefs about controlling their own lives were left untouched.
In the second study, the experimenters set up a different deception: they had the subjects take a very difficult cognitive test. Then, the subjects solved a series of problems without supervision and scored themselves. They also "rewarded" themselves 1 dollar for each correct answer; in order to collect, they had to walk across the room and help themselves to money in a manila envelope.
The study is published in the issue of Psychological Science.
ANI