Скачать или смотреть The Science of Honesty: Character, Cheating, and Building Moral Habits | Dr. Christian Miller

Full-length conversation from the Experimental Honesty podcast with Dr. Christian Miller, philosopher at Wake Forest University and director of The Honesty Project.

Christian studies honesty not just as behavior, but as a character trait — a virtue that shapes how we think, feel, and act over time.

We explore what the research actually says about how honest most of us are, the “character gap” between who we want to be and how we behave, and practical strategies for becoming more truthful in daily life.

Topics include moral reminders (like honor codes and mirrors), the role of honest role models, reputation management, cheating research, forgiveness, and how small habits can gradually shape character. We also discuss honesty online, deepfakes, and the future of honesty research.

Topics include:

What it means to have the virtue of honesty

Lying vs. misleading vs. “bullshitting”

The character gap between ideals and behavior

Moral reminders (honor codes, journaling, cues)

Why mirrors reduce cheating

Role models and moral inspiration

Reputation vs. authentic integrity

Honesty in parenting and education

Social media, anonymity, and deepfakes

The future of The Honesty Project

Resources:

Christian’s website: https://christianbmiller.com

Honesty: The Philosophy and Psychology of a Neglected Virtue (book)

The Character Gap (book)

Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction + Dr. Christian Miller and the Honesty Project
3:23 Start of conversation
4:11 From character research → focusing on honesty as a neglected virtue
7:00 Why honesty is overlooked in philosophy and society
10:40 What does it mean to have the “virtue” of honesty?
12:04 Virtue vs behavior: honest actions vs being an honest person
13:59 How to assess your own honesty (looking at weekly behavior patterns)
18:56 Character growth: honesty as a lifelong practice, not all-or-nothing
22:17 Practical strategy #1 — Moral reminders (honor codes, journaling, cues)
25:03 The “honor code” cheating experiment explained
28:26 Mirrors, self-awareness, and why we cheat less when watched
31:44 Practical strategy #2 — Role models of honesty
37:38 Practical strategy #3 — Letting go of reputation management
42:32 Lying vs “bullshitting” (important distinction)
44:12 Forgiveness, trust, and psychological relief from honesty
46:05 How studying honesty influences Christian’s parenting + teaching
54:04 The future of honesty research (theory + interventions)
57:27 Inside the Honesty Project and funded studies
1:02:40 What we value most in others: honesty ranks #1
1:05:43 Honesty online: social media, trust, and digital behavior
1:07:22 Deepfakes and new threats to truth
1:09:26 Where to learn more about Christian’s work
1:10:12 Closing reflections