The recent “electronic honesty box” internet sale of the new Radiohead album has reignited interest in human nature and honesty. Despite not being required to pay anything for the download, fans paid an average of £4 each.Last year in the UK behavioural biologist Dr Melissa Bateson led a study based on an honesty box. During alternate time periods, a picture of a pair of eyes or a picture of flowers were placed above the box. Wildly differing sums of money were deposited in the box.
"When we had the picture of eyes on the wall it was nearly three times as much money. Eyes give people the feeling that they are being watched by other people. "If people think they can get away with it they will usually behave selfishly and not pay, but if you think you are being watched you know the consequences can be quite bad."
So when we dutifully put our coins in the honesty box, it may not just be out of our respect for a fair society, it may also be out of a purely selfish desire not to be punished or looked down on by our peers.
There is obviously a security implication in this, and pictures of eyes could conceivably be used in areas where crime may be a problem, but where cameras are unsuitable, such as locker/changing rooms.
Cardboard cut-outs have also been experimented with, although recently a cardboard cut-out of a policemen erected in a UK store to deter thieves was itself stolen!
For a deeper analysis of this strange phenomenon, click on:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7041447.stm
