ArticlePsychopharmacology2026
Beyond attention: methylphenidate reduces dishonesty in healthy adults.
Article in Psychopharmacology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
rationaleHealthy adults increasingly use drugs to enhance cognitive performance. However, these drugs influence brain systems that have also been associated with dishonesty. Given the prevalent use of potentially performance-enhancing drugs in contexts susceptible to cheating, it is crucial to ascertain whether they have adverse effects on honesty.
objectivesOur primary objective was to compare the effects of methylphenidate with those of placebo to determine the direction and magnitude of its potential influence on dishonest behavior. We furthermore examined the intuitions of people who use smart drugs about the effects of methylphenidate on cheating in a US representative sample.
methodsWe conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment to compare the effects of methylphenidate (Ritalin), a popular performance-enhancing drug, and compared its effects with atomoxetine (Strattera), another performance-enhancing drug with a distinct pharmacological mechanism. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a placebo (n = 52), methylphenidate (n = 49), or atomoxetine (n = 50). Subsequently, they performed a die-rolling task in which they could increase their earnings by dishonestly misreporting their outcomes. Additionally, a representative sample of 575 American participants indicated their performance-enhancing drugs use and intuitions about the effects of these drugs on dishonesty.
resultsOur findings show that, compared to the placebo condition, methylphenidate reduced dishonesty. This effect was not attributable to statistical fluctuations, demand effects, or domain-general mechanisms such as mood or attention. In addition, individuals who use drugs to enhance performance have limited intuitions about the impact of methylphenidate on dishonest behavior.
conclusionThese results reveal an unforeseen consequence associated with methylphenidate and may have policy implications regarding the paradoxical relationship between the use of drugs for performance enhancement and their potential impact on honesty.
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