A study by Melissa Bateson, Daniel Nettle, and Gilbert Roberts investigated how cues of being watched affect cooperative behavior in a real-world setting. Participants were asked to pay for drinks using an honesty box in a university coffee room. The researchers found that when an image of a pair of eyes was displayed, people paid nearly three times as much for their drinks compared to when a control image of flowers was shown. This suggests that cues of being watched, such as the presence of eyes, can significantly enhance cooperative behavior by increasing reputational concerns. The study was conducted in a naturalistic setting where participants could choose whether and how much to pay for their drinks. The results showed that the ratio of money collected to milk consumed increased when eyes were displayed, indicating that participants were more likely to contribute to a public good when they felt they were being watched. The researchers believe that the eyes image induced a perception of being watched, which motivated participants to act cooperatively. This is supported by the fact that participants were not actually observed, but the human perceptual system responds to stimuli involving faces and eyes, which may have unconsciously influenced their behavior. The findings have practical implications for designing honesty-based systems and have theoretical implications for understanding the role of reputation in human cooperation. The study supports the idea that reputational concerns can be a powerful motivator for cooperative behavior, even in situations where there is no direct reciprocity or expectation of future interactions. The results suggest that subtle cues, such as the presence of eyes, can significantly enhance cooperation by evoking the psychology of being observed.A study by Melissa Bateson, Daniel Nettle, and Gilbert Roberts investigated how cues of being watched affect cooperative behavior in a real-world setting. Participants were asked to pay for drinks using an honesty box in a university coffee room. The researchers found that when an image of a pair of eyes was displayed, people paid nearly three times as much for their drinks compared to when a control image of flowers was shown. This suggests that cues of being watched, such as the presence of eyes, can significantly enhance cooperative behavior by increasing reputational concerns. The study was conducted in a naturalistic setting where participants could choose whether and how much to pay for their drinks. The results showed that the ratio of money collected to milk consumed increased when eyes were displayed, indicating that participants were more likely to contribute to a public good when they felt they were being watched. The researchers believe that the eyes image induced a perception of being watched, which motivated participants to act cooperatively. This is supported by the fact that participants were not actually observed, but the human perceptual system responds to stimuli involving faces and eyes, which may have unconsciously influenced their behavior. The findings have practical implications for designing honesty-based systems and have theoretical implications for understanding the role of reputation in human cooperation. The study supports the idea that reputational concerns can be a powerful motivator for cooperative behavior, even in situations where there is no direct reciprocity or expectation of future interactions. The results suggest that subtle cues, such as the presence of eyes, can significantly enhance cooperation by evoking the psychology of being observed.