Rich people more likely to cheat, behave badly, research finds

[IDemo]

By Linda Carroll

While the poor might seem to have the most reason to cheat and steal, the rich are more likely to be dishonest, a new study shows.

In a series of experiments, University of California at Berkeley researchers showed again and again that upper-class individuals were more prone to unethical behavior than people from more deprived backgrounds, according to the study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Paul Piff, a doctoral candidate and the study's lead author, says he was surprised at how little incentive it took to get high-income people to cheat.

In one study, for example, people were asked to play a game of chance online. The 195 volunteers were told that a die would be rolled for them five times and that the participants with the highest scores from the five rolls would get more credits toward a drawing for a $50 Amazon.com certificate. The researchers also told the volunteers to keep track of their own scores.

http://vitals.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/27/10512938-rich-people-more-likely-to-cheat-behave-badly-research-finds

In other news, a bright object has been spied in the eastern sky each morning...

[Tripper11]

1. no surprise for me.... eom

[Avalux]

2. Because they see themselves as superior and can get away with it.....

all you have to do is look at Wall Street now, and history. Not too tough to figure out.

[KansDem]

3. Check out the poll on the site!

Do you think rich people are more likely to cheat, steal or cut you off in traffic?

Yes. How do you think they got rich in the first place?
No. In my experience, rich people aren't less ethical than the poor.
Not sure. I think it depends on the person, not on the tax bracket.

Voting ...View Results

* Yes. How do you think they got rich in the first place?
70%

No. In my experience, rich people aren't less ethical than the poor.
5%

Not sure. I think it depends on the person, not on the tax bracket
25%

[R.Blue]

4. Hilarious

"How do you think they got rich in the first place?" I chuckled at that. Yes, being rich and being ethical appears to be polar opposites. The age old "power corrupts" line is proving itself to be true.

[Skittles]

5. more likely they are repuke too

just goes with the territory

[LeftishBrit]

6. Or perhaps cheats are more likely to get rich (sadly)

[starroute]

7. Why aren't the GOP candidates decrying the moral decay of the wealthy?

Perhaps Santorum could be encouraged to tell them to straighten up and get with God. Newt could promise to go around to elite prep schools and lecture them on the need to do honest labor instead of lying and cheating. And Mitt ... well, Mitt is probably too clueless to do anything besides serve as an object lesson in what not to be like.