Posted on 02/28/2012 8:19:04 PM PST by thecodont
The rich really are different from the rest of us, scientists have found — they are more apt to commit unethical acts because they are more motivated by greed.
People driving expensive cars were more likely than other motorists to cut off drivers and pedestrians at a four-way-stop intersection in the San Francisco Bay Area, UC Berkeley researchers observed. Those findings led to a series of experiments that revealed that people of higher socioeconomic status were also more likely to cheat to win a prize, take candy from children and say they would pocket extra change handed to them in error rather than give it back.
Because rich people have more financial resources, they're less dependent on social bonds for survival, the Berkeley researchers reported Monday in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. As a result, their self-interest reigns and they have fewer qualms about breaking the rules.
"If you occupy a more insular world, you're less likely to be sensitive to the needs of others," said study lead author Paul Piff, who is studying for a doctorate in psychology.
But before those in the so-called 99% start feeling ethically superior, consider this: Piff and his colleagues also discovered that anyone's ethical standards could be prone to slip if they suddenly won the lottery and joined the top 1%.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Someone debunked the tip con.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/buster/photoshop/restaurant-receipt-photoshop-hoax-869032
Guess it’s a new lie every day.
Will liberal/progs will be all for that, right????? After all, hedonism is “all the rage” these days. Whatever makes you feel good?
We definitely have way too many “scientists” in this country if this is all they can find to do with their time.
UC Berkley, you say. Then we can be comfortable there is no chance of even the smallish degree of bias. It must be an election year with a rich jerk running against a commie for something or another.
I only seem to see your average leftist broke loser doing the greed/cheat thing.
For whatever reason, Rat affiliation is over-represented among the super rich (as well as the super poor). Might or might not mean anything.
Especially in Los Angeles. Celebrity types, agents, etc. are mostly Rats and self important and entitled as they come.
It assumes the wealthy don't have a social network and the poor do. WRONG. The wealthy (who have earned their wealth) more often than not, got that way by NETWORKING.
It also assumes (one of the good comments following the article) that wealthy people drive high-end cars and poor people do not. WRONG. Obviously the "researchers" didn't read the excellent The Millionaire Next Door and thereby understand that "old money gets that way by not being spent."
The researchers are trying to make a point in an election year.
There are lies, damned lies, and the LA Times.
“UC Berkeley researchers observed”
Wow, a liberal, anti-capitalist school which observed that rich people are baaaaaddddd...
Did this study take 5 seconds?
I was going to mention that at least in the earlier edition of the book, the most popular vehicle purchased by millionaires is the Ford F-Series pickup truck. I don't think there is an awful lot you can conclude with any degree of certainty by the cars people drive.
I rather doubt these results have much validity. Judging from things I’ve seen tax-wise, there’s plenty o cheatin’ going on at the 99% level.
How many armed bank robberies and convenience store hold ups were done by rich people?
Of course, these ‘researchers’ only studied the attitudes of rich bay area liberals compared to poor bay area liberals; make of the ‘results’ whatever you will.
With lifetime paid tenure and bennies, preaching hatred toward this who provide their substance.
We are back to ‘70’s activist science again. It’s usually limited to the soft “sciences.” This is sociology or psychology... Get ready for it. They will make all the Left’s enemies (normal, happy people) into mentally ill demons.
It’s weird what passes for a “scientist” these days.
I have to say that I know people like that but most of them aren’t rich.
I would say that some of those personality traits can help make you rich because you don’t care about anyone but yourself and it doesn’t feel bad to take advantage of others misfortunes.
I guess the prison echelon is all nice and sweet and that’s why they’re in prison.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.