Behavioural economics
Dan Ariely: Insurance field experiment data, 2021, and 2026 procrastination study allegations
Duke University, Fuqua School of Business
Under investigation Duke's investigation of the 2012 paper ended in 2024, and a retraction request by his co-author on a 2002 Psychological Science paper was under journal review as of September 2026. No new Duke investigation had been announced.2,4
Papers
| Paper | Action | Date | Reason stated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signing at the beginning makes ethics salient and decreases dishonest self-reports in comparison to signing at the end (Shu, Mazar, Gino, Ariely and Bazerman) Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012 https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.12097461091,3,5 | Retracted | 13 September 2021 | Data Colada reported that the mileage data in Study 3, a field experiment with an auto insurer, underwent at least two forms of fabrication. NPR reported the authors retracted the paper. |
| Procrastination, Deadlines, and Performance: Self-Control by Precommitment (Ariely and Wertenbroch) Psychological Science, 20024 | Retraction requested | September 2026 | Data Colada concluded the data were severely tampered with or fabricated to produce the desired results, mainly in Study 2. Co-author Klaus Wertenbroch asked the journal to retract. The journal review was ongoing, per Poets and Quants. |
Investigations
- Duke University, 2 April 2024In a statement he says Duke approved for posting, Ariely said the investigation committee found no evidence that he falsified data or knowingly used falsified data, and determined he should have done more to prevent faulty data being published. This is his own account. Duke has declined to confirm or detail the findings, citing faculty privacy, according to Poets and Quants.2,4
Response
Ariely said in 2023 that getting the data file was the extent of my involvement with the data (NPR), and in 2026 said he was cooperating with the journal review of the 2002 paper (Poetsandquants).3,4
Sources
- Data Colada, [98] Evidence of Fraud in an Influential Field Experiment About Dishonesty (17 August 2021)
- Dan Ariely (approved for posting by Duke University), Statement on conclusion of Duke investigation (2 April 2024)
- NPR (Planet Money), Did an honesty researcher fabricate data? (2023)
- Poets and Quants, Data Colada accuses Duke's Dan Ariely of tampering with data in a second influential study (2 September 2026)
- PNAS, via Crossref, Signing at the beginning makes ethics salient and decreases dishonest self-reports, Crossref metadata (retraction notice 10.1073/pnas.2115397118) (13 September 2021)