COVID-19 masks and limited number of shoppers as determinants of shop assistants’ (dis)honesty

StatusVoR
Simple item page
cris.lastimport.scopus2025-08-31T03:15:26Z
dc.abstract.enPrevious laboratory and field studies have demonstrated that the dishonesty of commercial transaction participants may depend on subtle cues. In this field study conducted on a sample of 216 shop assistants in Poland, we planned to demonstrate that coronavirus diseaserelated factors could result in an increased propensity for dishonesty among shop assistants. This investigation is unique in its application of social psychological theories to illuminate hitherto unexplored side effects of combating the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Our supposition was that the potential detriment encountered by individuals wearing solid surgical masks would involve being viewed as more abstract and remote, thereby heightening the likelihood of being deceived by a vendor. Moreover, we examined the potential relationship between the limited number of customers in retail establishments (related to pandemic restrictions) and the unscrupulous practices of sellers—specifically the act of retaining change. The effect of wearing masks was statistically non-significant, whereas the impact of other customers’ absence was significant. Moreover, unexpected results related to transaction parties’ genders were obtained, showing that shop assistants tended to be more honest when dealing with customers of the same gender. The results are discussed in the context of empathy toward masked customers, self-awareness theory, social norms of honesty, and identification with gender groups.
dc.affiliationInstytut Psychologii
dc.affiliationWydział Psychologii we Wrocławiu
dc.contributor.authorKościelniak, Maciej
dc.contributor.authorMarciniak, Dorota
dc.contributor.authorDoliński, Dariusz
dc.contributor.editorSimon Porcher
dc.date.access2024-01-17
dc.date.accessioned2024-01-18T13:21:48Z
dc.date.available2024-01-18T13:21:48Z
dc.date.created2023-12-19
dc.date.issued2024-01-11
dc.description.abstract<jats:p>Previous laboratory and field studies have demonstrated that the dishonesty of commercial transaction participants may depend on subtle cues. In this field study conducted on a sample of 216 shop assistants in Poland, we planned to demonstrate that coronavirus disease-related factors could result in an increased propensity for dishonesty among shop assistants. This investigation is unique in its application of social psychological theories to illuminate hitherto unexplored side effects of combating the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Our supposition was that the potential detriment encountered by individuals wearing solid surgical masks would involve being viewed as more abstract and remote, thereby heightening the likelihood of being deceived by a vendor. Moreover, we examined the potential relationship between the limited number of customers in retail establishments (related to pandemic restrictions) and the unscrupulous practices of sellers—specifically the act of retaining change. The effect of wearing masks was statistically non-significant, whereas the impact of other customers’ absence was significant. Moreover, unexpected results related to transaction parties’ genders were obtained, showing that shop assistants tended to be more honest when dealing with customers of the same gender. The results are discussed in the context of empathy toward masked customers, self-awareness theory, social norms of honesty, and identification with gender groups.</jats:p>
dc.description.accesstimeafter_publication
dc.description.issue1
dc.description.physical1-11
dc.description.versionfinal_published
dc.description.volume19
dc.identifier.doi10.1371/journal.pone.0296746
dc.identifier.issn1932-6203
dc.identifier.urihttps://share.swps.edu.pl/handle/swps/376
dc.languageen
dc.pbn.affiliationpsychologia
dc.relation.datasethttps://osf.io/e4afb/
dc.rightsCC-BY
dc.rights.questionYes_rights
dc.share.articleOPEN_JOURNAL
dc.titleCOVID-19 masks and limited number of shoppers as determinants of shop assistants’ (dis)honesty
dc.title.journalPLOS ONE
dc.typeJournalArticle
dspace.entity.typeArticle