For God, Family, and Country: The Moral Power of Authorities

Honesty is considered an important value across societies, and economic development is associated with the extent to which people trust each other. Children around the world are taught from a young age that being honest is a virtue. However, different institutions and authorities may not be equally effective in conveying this message. This study investigates the relative power of moral messages from three archetypal authorities (family, state, and religion) in discouraging dishonesty among children. By removing the threat of punishment, the experiment isolates the role of intrinsic motivation. Moral messages from secular authorities (family and state) reduce dishonesty significantly, whereas the impact of religious messages is weak and statistically insignificant. These findings align with a theoretical model in which subjects experience a context-specific disutility from dishonesty.