A study conducted by the universities of Michigan, Utah, and Zurich, involving over 17,000 front-desk workers worldwide, aimed to understand what drives honesty. The study found that people were more likely to report lost wallets when they contained money, rather than when they were empty, suggesting that self-interest may not be as powerful as previously thought and that individuals' desire to maintain a positive self-image and be seen as honest can motivate them to act honestly.