Joshua talks to Dave about his research on whether people are innately selfish or cooperative. It seems intuitive that thoughtful people would be kinder—but is this so? What’s the psychology behind being nice or mean to a stranger? Joshua and Dave analyze whether cooperation is part of human nature or mediated by culture. Could Americans teach cynical Romanians to be more cooperative? Finally, they consider the true source of our values.

On The Mind Report, Laurie interviews Dan Ariely about his recent book, The Honest Truth About Dishonesty. They explore the psychology of cheating and lying in competitive cycling, at Harvard, and in business. Dan explains how non-human animals are more rational than we are, and Laurie asks whether the media has contributed to people cheating more lately. Dan reveals how his research on dishonesty has affected his personal life. In closing, Dan offers some tactics to fight the eroding trust that threatens society.