People Are More Moral in the Morning

Scientific American Mind:

Most of us strive to do the right thing when faced with difficult decisions. A new study suggests that our moral compass is more reliable when we face those decisions in the morning rather than later in the day.

In a series of studies at Harvard University and at the University of Utah, 327 men and women participated in tasks designed to measure cheating or lying behavior either in the morning or in the afternoon. For instance, in one study the subjects attempted to solve math problems, some of which were impossible, knowing they would be paid five cents for every solved problem. They reported their own scores, giving them an opportunity to lie and thus receive more money. The people who participated in the afternoon sessions in all the experiments were more likely to cheat than those who took part in the morning sessions.

Read the whole story: Scientific American Mind