Being Bad to Look Good: Competence Reputational Stakes Can Increase Unethical Behavior

Two studies (total n = 1,245) explored the influence of (1) receiving public vs. private performance feedback, (2) competing on a team vs. solo, and (3) individual differences in team competition participation on cheating behavior. Participants were given opportunities to cheat in an online trivia competition and self-reported their cheating behavior. Meta-analyses of Studies 1 and 2 revealed that participants who believed their performance feedback would be public cheated more than those who believed their performance feedback would be private, and individuals who regularly participate in team competition cheated more than those who do not. We found no evidence that experimentally manipulating team competition (vs. solo competition) influenced cheating. Our findings suggest that people will put their moral reputations at risk in order to protect their competence reputations by engaging in unethical behavior that signals (false) competence to others