# Dan Ariely **Domain:** Behavioral economics / dishonesty research **Doc Type:** Person Node **Maturity:** Developing ## Definition **Dan Ariely** discusses dishonesty and rationalization in a 2012 *Scientific American* interview. His account considers how a person may cheat in small ways while retaining an honest self-image; the quoted remark is his interpretation of research, not a diagnosis of every person or every dishonest act. ## Relationships - **Interview source:** [*Scientific American* Science Talk, December 25, 2012](https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/creativitys-dark-side-dan-ariely-on-12-12-25/). - **Mechanism comparison:** [[wiki/Self-Deception|Self-Deception]] considers belief and self-presentation; [[wiki/Robert Trivers|Robert Trivers]] proposes a distinct evolutionary function, not coauthorship or an identical theory. - **Article route:** [[articles/Humans and AIs as Entangled Learning Systems|Humans and AIs as Entangled Learning Systems]] explores feedback-shaped description as an adjacent application, not Ariely's research finding. ## Simple Reminders, Quotations, and Thoughts > “The ability to rationalize our dishonesty away is incredibly human and we need to think about how to fight this.” > **— Dan Ariely**, *Scientific American Science Talk, 2012* [[reminders/Deception/Rationalization Lets Dishonesty Feel Honest by Dan Ariely|Rationalization Lets Dishonesty Feel Honest by Dan Ariely]] ## Sources - [Dan Ariely interview and transcript, *Scientific American* Science Talk (2012)](https://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/creativitys-dark-side-dan-ariely-on-12-12-25/).