I’m a huge fan of Gabriola’s honour stands – isn’t everybody? So this article at npr.org is an interesting read: The Psychology Of The Honor System At The Farm Stand.

And today at his farm stand, Cochran says, just as at the donut shop years ago, most customers leave more money than they owe.

That doesn’t surprise social psychologist Michael Cunningham of the University of Louisville who has used trust games to investigate what spurs good and bad behavior for the last 25 years. For many people, Cunningham says, trust seems to be at least as strong a motivator as guilt. He thinks he knows why.

When you sell me something I want and trust me to pay you even when you’re not looking, you’ve made my life good in two ways, Cunningham tells The Salt. I get something delicious, and I also get a good feeling about myself. Both of those things make me feel good about the world— that I’m in a good place. And I also see you as a contributor to that good — as somebody I want to reward. It’s a win win. [continue]

(Link found here at Schneier on Security.)