Let’s Make 2021 a Year for Self-Honesty

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What if instead of fueling our instincts to be heroic, intensifying our dopamine-drenched feeling of being indispensable that comes from finishing that report at 2 am, we acknowledged that we have limits? 2020’s tumultuous story exhausted,…

American Unity Starts with the Truth

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We now must find the right balance between seeking meaningful accountability for past abuses and building a more inclusive democratic future. President Biden made a passionate appeal for unity in his inaugural address Wednesday, saying,…

The Obscure Medieval Roots of the Modern Psyche

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“The cultural evolution of psychology,” Joseph Henrich writes, “is the dark matter that flows behind the scenes throughout history.” Imagine you are in the city, riding in a car with a close friend, and he hits a pedestrian going…

Do Honesty Pledges Work?

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Honesty pledges often sound like a good idea, but whether they are in any given situation depends on various factors. Just ask Jim Comey. In a recent paper, Eyal Pe’er, at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Yuval…

Cheating in College: Why Students Do It and What Educators Can Do About It

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Cheating in College: Why Students Do It and What Educators Can Do About It by: Donald L. McCabe, Kenneth D. Butterfield, and Linda K. Treviño John Hopkins University Press (2012) Public Library Summarized by Jared Wolf From one-room…

Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics

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What do economics, psychology, and experimental science have in common? As Richard Thaler implies in Misbehaving: The making of behavioral economics, most economists would say little to none — but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Misbehaving is, first and foremost, a story of how modern economics, finance, and theoretical analysis have become increasingly specialized and narrow without substantial practical value. Utilizing empirical studies and anecdotes, funny stories, and even some jokes, Thaler persuades the reader that behavioral studies — or psychology-motivated disciplines which focus on humans, not mythical rational agents — are here to stay. 

Thaler’s findings have numerous and far-reaching implications for designing and implementing ethical systems within organizations. Read our book review and learn more.

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Nudge

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Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness Richard H. Thaler, Cass R. Sunstein Penguin Books, Revised & Expanded edition (2009) (public library) Summarized by Erick Rabin Introduction Choice Architecture involves…

The Lucifer Effect

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The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil by Philip Zimbardo Random House Publishing Group, 1st Ed. Reprint (2008) (public library) Summarized by Joshua Elle Overview In a compelling story of his own life's journey, Phil…

Managing Business Ethics

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Managing Business Ethics: Straight Talk About How To Do It Right by Linda K. Treviño and Katherine A. Nelson John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 5th ed. (2011) (public library) Summarized by David Newman Overview Treviño and Nelson present…

Cheating & Honesty

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Jacob van Oost, “Card-Sharpers.” Note the man on the right, signaling to the man in the foreground, who has two extra cards behind his back. What is cheating? The simplest and most immediate answer is that cheating is breaking the rules.…