Are we in an honesty crisis? (with Christian B. Miller)

1. Design AI-Proof Assignments

To combat AI-enabled student cheating, design graded work that cannot be easily generated by AI, such as using old-school blue book exams, dedicating class time for spontaneous writing, or implementing oral exams. This makes it harder for students to cheat and easier for professors to assess original work.

2. Increase Perceived Risk of Dishonesty

Recognize that the likelihood of dishonest behavior decreases as the perceived risk of getting caught increases. Implement measures that raise the perceived risk of detection to deter cheating and other forms of dishonesty.

3. Leverage Self-Perception for Honesty

Understand that people cheat only as much as they can rationalize while still maintaining a self-image of being honest. Encourage honesty by appealing to individuals’ desire to think of themselves, and be seen by others, as honest people.

4. Implement Honor Codes or Pledges

Utilize honor codes or pledges, where individuals formally commit not to lie, cheat, or steal. Studies show that signing such a code can significantly reduce cheating, even when the risk of detection is low, by activating a person’s honest self-conception.

5. Default to Truth-Telling

Embrace truth-telling as your default mode of communication because it is cognitively easier and more natural than lying. Lying requires more mental energy and work to construct and maintain, making truth the path of least resistance.

6. Recognize Exceptions to Honesty

Understand that absolute honesty is not always the optimal moral choice; there are exceptional cases where lying is justifiable. Evaluate situations where higher values, such as protecting innocent lives, might outweigh the principle of truth-telling.

7. Evaluate Morality Case-by-Case

Approach moral decisions, including those involving honesty, by weighing the particular morally relevant features of each unique situation. Avoid rigid, formulaic principles and instead consider all specific factors to determine the most virtuous action.

8. Don’t Overestimate Truth’s Negative Impact

Challenge the common tendency to overestimate the negative consequences of telling the truth. Often, the actual repercussions are not as severe as anticipated, and being truthful can prevent the complex and damaging long-term effects of lies.

9. Tell Difficult Truths When Necessary

Be prepared to tell difficult truths, even if painful or unwelcome, when it is necessary to break someone out of rationalization, delusion, or ignorance. This can serve their long-term well-being and prevent greater harm, despite short-term discomfort.

10. Avoid Oversharing Personal Information

Practice discretion and avoid oversharing personal information, even if it’s true, when it’s inappropriate for the context or relationship. Honesty encompasses not just truthfulness, but also appropriate boundaries and respect for privacy.

11. Trust Most People by Default

Operate with a general truth bias, trusting that most people tell the truth most of the time. However, remain cautiously aware of the small minority (around 5%) who are frequent liars and adjust your vigilance accordingly in specific interactions.

12. Detect Deception via Inconsistencies

Improve your ability to detect deception by focusing on inconsistencies in a person’s statements or actions, or by cross-referencing with external information. Avoid relying on unreliable methods like reading body language or facial tells, as humans are generally poor at this.

13. Exercise Caution with White Lies

Be highly cautious about telling white lies, as they can be a slippery slope and are often justified when not truly necessary. Consider the potential for eroding trust and the cognitive burden of remembering past deceptions.

14. Defer Truth for Emotional Fragility

In rare cases of extreme emotional fragility, consider deferring a difficult truth if its immediate disclosure could send someone into a tailspin. This is a compassionate exception, with the understanding that the truth might be shared later when the person is more resilient.

15. Deflect Inappropriate Questions

When faced with inappropriate or overly intrusive questions, use a direct but polite refusal like ’none of your business.’ This maintains privacy without resorting to lying or inadvertently signaling information through hesitation.

16. Understand Social Rituals of Non-Literal Truth

Recognize that in certain social rituals (e.g., polite greetings like ‘How are you?’), the norms of literal truth are often suspended. In these contexts, a non-literal response is not a failure of honesty, as it’s common knowledge that literal truth is not expected.

17. Embrace Multifaceted Benefits of Honesty

Cultivate honesty by recognizing its intrinsic value, its benefits for a functional society, its alignment with most religious and ethical frameworks, and its long-term contribution to personal well-being and a more fulfilling life.