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How to get your lost wallet back... make sure there's a picture of a baby inside
DailyMail UK ^ | 12th July 2009 | by Daily Mail Reporter

Posted on 07/11/2009 9:10:00 PM PDT by rawhide

A lost wallet which contains a picture of a baby is more likely to be returned to its owner, scientists have discovered.

A total of 240 wallets on the streets of Edinburgh last year to see how many were returned.

Some contained one of four photographs – the baby, a puppy dog, a family and a portrait of an elderly couple.

Other wallets contained a card suggesting the owner had recently made a charity donation, while a control batch contained no additional items.

Professor Richard Wiseman, a psychologist who supervised the experiment, said 42 per cent of the wallets were posted back in total.

Those containing the picture of the infant were most likely to trigger an honest reaction from the finder, with 88 per cent being returned, followed by those containing pictures of the puppy at 53 per cent.

Of those featuring the family snapshot, 48 per cent were sent to the return address and only 28 per cent of those with the picture of the elderly couple.

Wallets containing the charity cards and the control sample were least likely to be returned, with rates of 20 and 15 per cent respectively.

Prof Wiseman said that the result reflect a compassionate instinct towards vulnerable infants that people have evolved to ensure the survival of future generations.

Prof Wiseman, of the University of Hertfordshire, added: 'The baby kicked off a caring feeling in people, which is not surprising from an evolutionary perspective.

'We were amazed by the high percentage of wallets that came back.'

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Society
KEYWORDS: baby; wallet
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To: rawhide

They should have put a GPS Tracking Device in the wallets and arrested anyone who kept them. Not sure what the charge would be, but I would love to see the look on their faces when the Cops showed up.

But heck, that’s just me.


21 posted on 07/11/2009 10:10:26 PM PDT by Kickass Conservative (If Hitler used a TelePrompter, we would all be speaking German...)
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To: rawhide

I’ll hedge my bet by carrying a picture of a baby WITH a puppy.


22 posted on 07/11/2009 10:19:04 PM PDT by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
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To: Kickass Conservative

Perhaps we can have a “Wallet Czar” appointed to help us keep track of our wallets.


23 posted on 07/11/2009 10:21:21 PM PDT by Grizzled Bear ("Does not play well with others.")
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To: aruanan

“Is that a picture of Winston Churchill?”

Pretty much all newborns look like winston churchill to me, even the non-whites :-P


24 posted on 07/11/2009 10:25:06 PM PDT by AussieJoe
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To: rawhide

” Those containing the picture of the infant were most likely to trigger an honest reaction from the finder, with 88 per cent being returned, followed by those containing pictures of the puppy at 53 per cent.

Of those featuring the family snapshot, 48 per cent were sent to the return address and only 28 per cent of those with the picture of the elderly couple.

Wallets containing the charity cards and the control sample were least likely to be returned, with rates of 20 and 15 per cent respectively. “

So if they included pictures of a baby, a puppy, the family, and the grandparents, along with a charity card they’d get back 237% of the wallets!


25 posted on 07/11/2009 10:28:53 PM PDT by AussieJoe
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To: Grizzled Bear
I am absolutely convinced that the Founding Fathers put that in the Constitution.

We just need a Libtard Judge to find it.

26 posted on 07/11/2009 10:36:20 PM PDT by Kickass Conservative (If Hitler used a TelePrompter, we would all be speaking German...)
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To: rawhide

Nonetheless, that’s pretty interesting. Makes me a bit happier about people.


27 posted on 07/11/2009 10:47:33 PM PDT by Hildy
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To: rawhide

Put in a card that says you offer a substantial reward if the wallet is returned. That might work better than a baby.


28 posted on 07/11/2009 10:48:16 PM PDT by Kirkwood
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To: AussieJoe

LOL. Exactly. Apparently Churchill himself said so.


29 posted on 07/11/2009 11:29:12 PM PDT by LimaLimaMikeFoxtrot ("If you don't have my army supplied, and keep it supplied, we'll eat your mules up, sir"-Gen.Sherman)
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To: AussieJoe

I wonder what would happen to a wallet containing a picture of Helen Thomas?


30 posted on 07/12/2009 3:49:11 AM PDT by karatemom
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To: rawhide; Quix

Here’s an interesting one. Worth the read.


31 posted on 07/12/2009 3:56:37 AM PDT by Joya (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, have mercy on me, a sinner!)
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To: Kirkwood

Or a note attached to one of the bills that says: There’s a lot more where this came from.

The finder will misinterpret that true statement, and think there’s a reward. In point of fact, there IS a lot more where that came from . . . the Bureau of Printing and Engraving in Washington, D. C.


32 posted on 07/12/2009 4:06:17 AM PDT by savedbygrace (You are only leading if someone follows. Otherwise, you just wandered off... [Smokin' Joe])
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To: Joya

Thx thx.


33 posted on 07/12/2009 4:26:01 AM PDT by Quix (POL Ldrs quotes fm1900 2 presnt: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2130557/posts?page=81#81)
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To: windcliff

ping


34 posted on 07/12/2009 10:24:34 AM PDT by stylecouncilor (The black man is keeping me down!)
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To: wazoo1031

Ping to Post #4 - Lou Grant. ;-)


35 posted on 11/19/2011 12:40:31 AM PST by Allegra (Hey! Stop looking at my tagline like that.)
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