Honesty Nudges : Effect Varies with Content But Not with Timing

We use an online experiment to examine if the effect of honesty nudges depends on their timing and content. Reminding individuals about the right thing to do increases honesty. Adding information that it is possible to assess an individual’s dishonesty strengthens the effect of the intervention. Both types of interventions are similarly effective when they take place before individuals make decisions or after individuals have made some decisions. Nudging individuals after they have made decisions allows us to add personalized information based on individuals’ previous reports; however, this does not further increase honesty. Examining the reaction to nudges by previous behavior shows that those (presumably) honest and those dishonest respond by reducing over-reporting. The effect of the different contents of nudges is driven by those previously dishonest