Researchers handed in fake lost wallets in places like museums and hotels, and waited to see if it would be returned to its owner.
Scientists who handed in almost 20,000"lost" wallets around the world to test the honesty of members of the public found people are more likely to give back wallets stuffed with cash than when they are empty. Experts say the findings question the idea that people are self-interested and dishonest.
In each country, around 400 experiments took place in the five to eight largest cities. A total of 17,003 wallets were placed in 355 cities in 40 countries around the world. Either no money, or the equivalent of $13.45 adjusted according to the purchasing power of the country, was left in the cases. A key, business cards and a grocery list written in the local language were included to signal the owner could easily be contacted and appeared to live locally.
The displays of honesty could be explained because the amount of money included wasn't enough to prompt nefarious behavior, the authors suggested. To investigate this, the team ran another study in the U.S., U.K. and Poland where the amount of money in some wallets was upped to $94.15. To the surprise of the researchers, the rate of people giving back the wallets was 46 percent without money; 61 percent with $13.45; and 72 percent when $94.15 was left behind.
Past studies have suggested that people are less likely to be honest the bigger the material incentive, and will be dishonest if they think they won't get caught and risk damaging their reputation. But most research into honest behavior has been done in a lab setting, and focuses on participants from Western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic societies, the authors explained.
"There were many challenges," he said."One challenge was simply bringing research materials into the countries. For example, how can you pass customs with a suitcase full of keys and wallets? We also had to deal with unforeseen circumstances like natural disasters and of course make sure our research assistants were safe."
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