Are mandatory oaths effective in groups?
实验发现，强制性誓言在群体中减少说谎的效果取决于激励结构：成员收益独立时有效，收益依赖时效果微弱；自愿宣誓则通过增强内在动机提升效果。
Abstract Previous studies have shown that an oath can reduce lying in individual settings. Can it reduce lying in groups, a context where lying is more prevalent? Results from a lab experiment reveal that the impact depends on the incentive structures and procedures. A mandatory oath reduces lying when group members’ payoffs are independent, but only has a marginal effect when payoffs are dependent. Voluntary oath-taking enhances the effectiveness under both incentive structures by fostering intrinsic motivation to keep promises. The findings highlight the importance of peer effects and oath-taking procedures on the effectiveness of an oath in group settings.