1608: The Truth Experts part 1
PRETEND
03/12/24
•45m
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Everything we believe about what drives us to be honest might be a lie.
A scandal rocks the behavioral science world, casting shadows over renowned researcher Dan Ariely and the integrity of academic research on honesty.
We all tell lies—it's a human thing. But can we modify behaviors to coax people into doing the right thing? Let's delve into what the research indicates. After all, facts and numbers don't lie, and academic researchers shouldn't lie either, right? But what happens when these so-called truth experts, the Ivy League researchers who literally wrote the book on dishonesty, are accused of lying and manipulating data?
Who fact-checks the truth-tellers?
Science stands as our final bastion of objectivity. However, the individuals behind the studies we're discussing are people. And people make mistakes. But what happens when errors are set aside and data is deliberately fabricated to create an illusion of truth? The consequences could be dire, undermining our trust in everything we hear or read.
Today's story recaps a major scandal in behavioral science, one that's been spotlighted by The New Yorker, The Atlantic, NPR, and podcasts like Freakonomics and Planet Money. Each outlet brought attention to different aspects of the story, but they all missed one critical voice—Dan Ariely, a professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke University. In a rare interview, I confronted Ariely about the studies in question, and to my surprise, he answered all of my questions.
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Previous Episode
1607: The Fake Lawyer
March 5, 2024
•34m
I discovered a little-known realm of con artists within the legal system. I found story after story of people impersonating attorneys, prosecutors, and even judges. One woman hacked into the court system and dropped the charges against her.
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Next Episode
1609: The Truth Experts part 2
March 19, 2024
•56m
Previously on Pretend, we dived deep into the murky waters of academic fraud. Celebrity behavioral scientist Dan Ariely of Duke University, alongside Francesca Gino from Harvard and other distinguished behavioral scientists, embarked on a series of experiments with a noble aim: to enhance honesty among individuals.
Their investigation centered on whether positioning an honesty pledge at the top of a form, as opposed to the bottom, would discourage deceit. However, it emerged that two out of the three experiments underpinning the study were marred by fabricated data.
I interviewed Dan Ariely about these troubling allegations, but our conversation was cut short. I assumed that was the last time I would hear from him. Surprisingly, Ariely reached out, proposing a second interview to directly address what he termed as "false accusations" on my podcast. He stipulated, "If you intend to add these false accusations to the podcast, maybe it's best to have another session and get my answers on the record, but I will ask you to promise me not to edit these. And to give my answers exactly as I present them. If you're up for this, let's schedule a sum If you're up for this, let's schedule something." And so, I agreed.
You're going to listen to my follow-up interview with Dan Ariely. I will, however, interject here and there to add context. But rest assured, every moment of our 43-minute exchange will be presented. I'll upload the raw, unedited versions of both interviews on Patreon and Pretend Plus, accessible for free. You don't need a subscription to tune in.
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