The study by Bateson, Nettle, and Roberts examines the effect of an image of a pair of eyes on contributions to an honesty box used for collecting money for drinks in a university coffee room. The researchers found that participants paid nearly three times as much for their drinks when the eyes were displayed compared to a control image of flowers. This finding provides evidence from a naturalistic setting that cues of being watched, such as the presence of eye-like spots, can enhance cooperative behavior by inducing a perception of being observed and potentially affecting reputational concerns. The results suggest that even subtle cues can significantly influence human cooperation, even in anonymous settings, and have implications for the design of honesty-based systems and the understanding of human altruism.The study by Bateson, Nettle, and Roberts examines the effect of an image of a pair of eyes on contributions to an honesty box used for collecting money for drinks in a university coffee room. The researchers found that participants paid nearly three times as much for their drinks when the eyes were displayed compared to a control image of flowers. This finding provides evidence from a naturalistic setting that cues of being watched, such as the presence of eye-like spots, can enhance cooperative behavior by inducing a perception of being observed and potentially affecting reputational concerns. The results suggest that even subtle cues can significantly influence human cooperation, even in anonymous settings, and have implications for the design of honesty-based systems and the understanding of human altruism.