[gameman144]

I don't think the parent is even saying that, their point is pretty reasonable: having some objective measure for before and after in any study is more reliable than self-reporting, especially when the subject might be incentivized to lie.

The self reports might be totally true, but the study isn't as good as it might be.

[sxde]

Maybe I misunderstood the article, but... the participants would have had no incentive to lie?

They were going to get the money for the fixed period unconditionally. That was the point.

[Zigurd]

TBF the welfare queen trope is well trodden ground. I'm actually surprised to see it brought up more than once in a supposedly sophisticated forum.