Dan Ariely concludes (video by RSA) that making people think about morality increases the likelihood that they’ll act honestly.
People try to balance the benefiting they gain from cheating against being able to feel good about themselves by being honest. While very few people tend to cheat a lot, many people cheat a little and self-rationalize their dishonesty.
Our school has adopted a short honor code that we’ll ask students to write at the top of tests and other assignments that is intended to remind them of their moral obligations.
Based on one of Ariely’s other conclusions, I’m also considering having students confess their in-class transgressions — talking out of turn; improper use of technology — every month or so, since this type of thing also seems to encourage probity.