Honesty of online workers: A field experiment shows no evidence of self-selection of cheaters to a cheating-enabling work environment

Does the choice of an environment where cheating is possible lead to its escalation? We analyzed behavior employees (N = 284) hired perform a task online. In manual reporting (MR), could overreport number hours worked. automatic (AR), were counted automatically, making impossible. Two-thirds participants given chance choose scheme, rest assigned MR directly. As actual time spent on was tracked in all conditions, we able assess degree overreporting by MR. Although found that people slightly overreported worked, who chose did not their more than those at random. Moreover, lower honesty-humility likely MR; only higher emotionality were. The results show even when enabled cheat, online workers reported worked honestly and possibility for cheaters select enabling environments may always increase dishonesty organizations.