Wallet Test (testing people's honesty)

suncrafter · 09-28-2007, 04:14 AM

A sociological experiment was conducted in Illinois called the "Wallet Test". You can read about it at http://www.wallettest.com/

The researchers deliberately dropped 100 identical wallets (containing money and ID) in public places to test honesty.

The test results were broken down by age, gender and race ----> http://www.wallettest.com/Lost_Walle...ults_Page.html

What I'd like to know is why did men steal over twice as much as women?

The Gaffer · 09-28-2007, 07:32 AM

Better ask Lief, he's the resident expert on gender differences...

Ingwe · 09-28-2007, 07:46 AM

I'm a man and I'm quite honest about such things. I found 80 dollars on our street a few years ago and spent over a week trying to find out who it belonged to. Amazingly the people on our street were honest as well and when I asked "are you missing 80 dollars" most of them said "um, i dunno, did you steal?" And I was like, no I found 80 dollars on the street, now be honest, is it your's or isn't it? They all said no, all 8 on the street (it's a pretty small street). I got to keep it but I still wonder who out there lost 80 dollars. It's not an incredibly large amount of money, but enough to pay the internet bill and then some after. If someone came around now and asked about their lost 80 dollars, I would probably mention that I found 80 dollars on the street 3 years ago, but I doubt that will ever happen. I mean if they said they lost exactly 80 dollars somewhere on that street, it would obviously be them. If they were asking about 1200 dollars or something, I would suspect a scheme obviously.

***Jonathan*** · 09-28-2007, 11:11 AM

I'm happily surprised that the people of Illinois are so honest. I'm sure the results would be worse in many other places.

Acalewia · 09-28-2007, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Gaffer

Better ask Lief, he's the resident expert on gender differences...

LMAO

I think they should try other cities to get a better idea of the populations honesty or dishonesty

strider8 · 11-06-2007, 03:40 PM

I'm male and I am honest.

I was walking behind a man who dropped his wallet out of his back pocket and he didn't notice, yet I gave it back.

hectorberlioz · 11-06-2007, 04:06 PM

Honest Career Politician Here

!!

Curubethion · 11-06-2007, 04:10 PM

A shot in the dark here, but I'd venture a guess that more gang members/petty thieves are male than female. Gang members, because of the whole "macho-ness" of being in a gang. Petty thieves, because...well, most pickpockets are lower-income, and I'd also venture a guess that poverty-stricken females make their money through other avenues...

I'm not trying to stereotype, just trying to guess at general social trends.

**Mari** · 11-06-2007, 05:25 PM

Probably because the girls stupid enough to join a gang of petty thieves are also stupid enough to get pregnant, so they can't be active members anyway. Or they don't try to join the gang at all, but try to join in the excitement by becoming a lover of one of the members...
This off course may exclude people forced into joining these gangs.

But about the wallet thing: I allready feel guilty if my grandmother gives me money to buy something nice, so I don't think I could keep money I found on the street without feeling very very guilty.

Lief Erikson · 11-06-2007, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Gaffer

Better ask Lief, he's the resident expert on gender differences...

***Tessar*** · 11-07-2007, 12:47 AM

Hm.

While I don't doubt that there's probably some validity to the results, I personally tend to completely disregard 'tests' that have such a tiny range of subjects.

49 males and 51 females isn't a very large test group, IMO.

I'd also like to know where they were dropping the wallets. In a mall? In a park? On the street?

And... maybe I'm being a jerk... but they broke down the results of honesty from a test group of 22 black people vs. 77 white people?

Come ON. 22 black people? You call that a test-pool? Geeze.

Then they further broke it down into even smaller groups for the age/gender?

I'll give them credit for saying that 'one' person was too small of a sample... but frankly I think they needed that disclaimer on every single group of the subject.

hectorberlioz · 11-07-2007, 12:59 AM

You object too much, Mr Tessar. Now confess: you've stolen truckloads of wallets!

***Tessar*** · 11-07-2007, 01:07 AM

<.<

>.>

Maybe.

Look, all I'm saying is that BoP steals PANTS all of the time.

Why are WALLETS so much more of a big deal, okay?

This test is a scam. A SCAM, I SAY!!!!!

The Telcontarion · 11-07-2007, 11:13 AM

I agree with tessar, I do thing the polling range is too small. I am honest...usually.

***HOBBIT*** · 11-07-2007, 12:36 PM

If I found money lying around in most circumstances, I would just pocket it.

But I'd definitely try to return a wallet.

The Telcontarion · 11-07-2007, 12:46 PM

Yeah, I have never found money randomly and stopped to ask anybody standing around if it belongs to them. Unless I saw someone drop it, that's different.

Lief Erikson · 11-07-2007, 06:18 PM

Or if it's a large amount as opposed to something small, I'd just leave it there because whoever dropped it might come back looking for it. If it's something really small though, I'd probably just pick it up and keep it. It's not like a one or a five dollar bill would do anyone any good lying on the sidewalk or in the gutter. Or does anyone think that someone might come back for that? If so, I'd leave that too rather than take it. I just doubt anyone would come back looking for it.

If there's identification on anything, I'd send it back to its owner.

**Nurvingiel** · 11-10-2007, 07:48 PM

I had the exact same reaction as Tessar about the sample size. And there weren't enough black people involved to make any kind of statement about their honesty.

But it's still an interesting experiment. We can say people are generally honest. Infrences they made beyond that are kind of useless.

There was a letter in the paper today saying thanks to the person who returned his wallet, and since that person even left the $150 cash in his wallet, he is now going to donate it to the United Way. He said it was the least he could do to show his gratitude.

Anecdotal, but I thought it was a nice story.

I've returned a wallet before. There was no cash in it, but I suspect someone had taken out the cash and left the wallet there before I got to it. It had been lying in a high traffic area for who knows how long.

I also once found a $20 bill lying on the ground. I asked the nearest group of people, the only people in slight actually, if they had lost it but none of them had so I just kept it. Those people were honest too.

The Telcontarion · 11-10-2007, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

I had the exact same reaction as Tessar about the sample size. And there weren't enough black people involved to make any kind of statement about their honesty.

But it's still an interesting experiment. We can say people are generally honest. Infrences they made beyond that are kind of useless.

There was a letter in the paper today saying thanks to the person who returned his wallet, and since that person even left the $150 cash in his wallet, he is now going to donate it to the United Way. He said it was the least he could do to show his gratitude.

Anecdotal, but I thought it was a nice story.

I've returned a wallet before. There was no cash in it, but I suspect someone had taken out the cash and left the wallet there before I got to it. It had been lying in a high traffic area for who knows how long.

I also once found a $20 bill lying on the ground. I asked the nearest group of people, the only people in slight actually, if they had lost it but none of them had so I just kept it. Those people were honest too.

I don't now, I think the % ratio population wise is accurate; if it was 50/50 it would not be representetive. If anything it should have spanish people in it as well, it's not just black and white.

Insidious Rex · 11-13-2007, 02:35 PM

Heres how it works: if you find cash on the ground (less then a huge amount) its yours. The chances of tracking down its owner is remote. So Lief leaving it there just guarantees the next person will take it. If you find a ton of cash, give it to the police. If they cant find the rightful owner you get it anyway. No guilt that way (although the police may steal it). Another reason to do this is because often times random cash can be from illegal transactions that someone left so as to avoid being caught with it. If you take it they may want their money and they may do whatever it takes to get it back. Theres also been cases of people getting arrested for finding and keeping large sums of drug money because its considered being a witness to a crime/interfering with a criminal case and maybe even helping to launder money. But we are only talking about thousands of dollars. $50? Its yours.

If you find a wallet, if it has a relatively small amount of cash along with other items then take the cash (finders fee) and return the wallet and other items to its owner. Anyone that’s lost a wallet is more than delighted to get back their wallet, credit cards, identification, etc. and will happily give up the cash in their assuming its not like hundreds of dollars (Ive been on both ends of this).

Now this only applies if you DON’T see them lose the items. If you see someone drop something return it. This just applies when you’ve recovered something that’s already lost.

09-28-2007, 04:14 AM	#1
suncrafter Hobbit Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 21	Wallet Test (testing people's honesty) A sociological experiment was conducted in Illinois called the "Wallet Test". You can read about it at http://www.wallettest.com/ The researchers deliberately dropped 100 identical wallets (containing money and ID) in public places to test honesty. The test results were broken down by age, gender and race ----> http://www.wallettest.com/Lost_Walle...ults_Page.html What I'd like to know is why did men steal over twice as much as women? __________________ Proud webmaster of: "Orc Magazine" Visit my Forum too!

09-28-2007, 11:11 AM	#4
*Jonathan* Entmoot Attorney-General, Equilibrating the Scales of Justice, Administrator ♎ Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 3,891	I'm happily surprised that the people of Illinois are so honest. I'm sure the results would be worse in many other places. __________________ An unwritten post is a delightful universe of infinite possibilities. Set down one word, however, and it immediately becomes earthbound. Set down one sentence and it’s halfway to being just like every other bloody entry that’s ever been written. ☻

11-06-2007, 03:40 PM	#6
strider8 Elven Warrior Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: In a spaceship, floating in your puny planet's atmosphere, awaiting orders to invade Posts: 292	I'm male and I am honest. I was walking behind a man who dropped his wallet out of his back pocket and he didn't notice, yet I gave it back. __________________ The axes hewed Forlong as he fought alone and unhorsed; and both Duilin of Morthond and his brother were trampled to death when they assailed the mumakil,leading their bowmen close to shoot at the eyes of the monsters. Neither Hirluin the fair would return to Pinnath Gelin, nor Grimbold to Grimslade, nor Halbarad to the northlands,dour-handed Ranger. Those that would not return home, page830-831, The Battle of the Pelennor Fields, The Return of the King

11-06-2007, 04:06 PM	#7
hectorberlioz Master of Orchestration President Emeritus of Entmoot 2004-2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Lost in the Opera House Posts: 9,328	Honest Career Politician Here!! __________________ ACALEWIA- President of Entmoot hectorberlioz- Vice President of Entmoot Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life! Join the discussion at Entmoot Election 2010. "Stupidissimo!"~Toscanini The Da CINDY Code The Epic Poem Of The Balrog of Entmoot: Here ~NEW! ~ Thinking of summer vacation? AboutNewJersey.com - NJ Travel & Tourism Guide

11-06-2007, 04:10 PM	#8
Curubethion Fenway Ranger, Lord of Red Sox Nation Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: College! Posts: 1,976	A shot in the dark here, but I'd venture a guess that more gang members/petty thieves are male than female. Gang members, because of the whole "macho-ness" of being in a gang. Petty thieves, because...well, most pickpockets are lower-income, and I'd also venture a guess that poverty-stricken females make their money through other avenues... I'm not trying to stereotype, just trying to guess at general social trends. __________________ Adventure...betrayal...heroism... Atharon: where heroes are born. My wife once said to me—when I'd been writing for ten or fifteen years—that I could always go back to being a nuclear engineer. And I said to her, 'Harriet, would you let someone who quit his job to go write fantasy anywhere near your nuclear reactor? I wouldn't!' (Robert Jordan)

09-28-2007, 07:32 AM	#2
The Gaffer Elf Lord Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: In me taters Posts: 3,288	Better ask Lief, he's the resident expert on gender differences...

09-28-2007, 07:46 AM	#3
Ingwe Elven Warrior Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somewhere not of this world Posts: 402	I'm a man and I'm quite honest about such things. I found 80 dollars on our street a few years ago and spent over a week trying to find out who it belonged to. Amazingly the people on our street were honest as well and when I asked "are you missing 80 dollars" most of them said "um, i dunno, did you steal?" And I was like, no I found 80 dollars on the street, now be honest, is it your's or isn't it? They all said no, all 8 on the street (it's a pretty small street). I got to keep it but I still wonder who out there lost 80 dollars. It's not an incredibly large amount of money, but enough to pay the internet bill and then some after. If someone came around now and asked about their lost 80 dollars, I would probably mention that I found 80 dollars on the street 3 years ago, but I doubt that will ever happen. I mean if they said they lost exactly 80 dollars somewhere on that street, it would obviously be them. If they were asking about 1200 dollars or something, I would suspect a scheme obviously.

11-06-2007, 05:25 PM	#9
Mari Elf Lady Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: In the lands where mountains are but a fairytale Posts: 8,588	Probably because the girls stupid enough to join a gang of petty thieves are also stupid enough to get pregnant, so they can't be active members anyway. Or they don't try to join the gang at all, but try to join in the excitement by becoming a lover of one of the members... This off course may exclude people forced into joining these gangs. But about the wallet thing: I allready feel guilty if my grandmother gives me money to buy something nice, so I don't think I could keep money I found on the street without feeling very very guilty. __________________ Love always, deeply and true ★ Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer. ★ Friendship is sharing openly, laughing often, trusting always, caring deeply. ...The Earth laughs in flowers ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Hamatreya"...

11-07-2007, 12:47 AM	#11
*Tessar* Master and Wielder of the Cardboard Harp of Gondor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: IM IN UR POSTZ, EDITIN' UR WURDZ Posts: 6,433	Hm. While I don't doubt that there's probably some validity to the results, I personally tend to completely disregard 'tests' that have such a tiny range of subjects. 49 males and 51 females isn't a very large test group, IMO. I'd also like to know where they were dropping the wallets. In a mall? In a park? On the street? And... maybe I'm being a jerk... but they broke down the results of honesty from a test group of 22 black people vs. 77 white people? Come ON. 22 black people? You call that a test-pool? Geeze. Then they further broke it down into even smaller groups for the age/gender? I'll give them credit for saying that 'one' person was too small of a sample... but frankly I think they needed that disclaimer on every single group of the subject.

11-07-2007, 12:59 AM	#12
hectorberlioz Master of Orchestration President Emeritus of Entmoot 2004-2008 Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Lost in the Opera House Posts: 9,328	You object too much, Mr Tessar. Now confess: you've stolen truckloads of wallets! __________________ ACALEWIA- President of Entmoot hectorberlioz- Vice President of Entmoot Acaly und Hektor fur Presidants fur EntMut fur life! Join the discussion at Entmoot Election 2010. "Stupidissimo!"~Toscanini The Da CINDY Code The Epic Poem Of The Balrog of Entmoot: Here ~NEW! ~ Thinking of summer vacation? AboutNewJersey.com - NJ Travel & Tourism Guide

11-07-2007, 01:07 AM	#13
*Tessar* Master and Wielder of the Cardboard Harp of Gondor Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: IM IN UR POSTZ, EDITIN' UR WURDZ Posts: 6,433	<.< >.> Maybe. Look, all I'm saying is that BoP steals PANTS all of the time. Why are WALLETS so much more of a big deal, okay? This test is a scam. A SCAM, I SAY!!!!!

11-07-2007, 11:13 AM	#14
The Telcontarion The one true King of the human race, direct descendant of Adam and heir to the kings of old. "You owe me your fealty." The Tar Minyaturion Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: By the shores of cuivinien Posts: 694	I agree with tessar, I do thing the polling range is too small. I am honest...usually. __________________ Proverbs 21:3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. Ecclesiasticus 2:1-5 1 My son, if thou come to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation... ...4 Whatsoever is brought upon thee take cheerfully, and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate. 5 For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity. Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

11-07-2007, 12:36 PM	#15
*HOBBIT* Saviour of Entmoot Admiral Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: NC/NJ (no longer Same place as bmilder.) Posts: 61,986	If I found money lying around in most circumstances, I would just pocket it. But I'd definitely try to return a wallet. __________________ President Emeritus (2000-2004) Private message (or email) me if you need any assistance. I am here to help! "I'm up to here with cool, ok? I'm so amazingly cool you could keep a side of meat in me for a month. I am so hip I have difficulty seeing over my pelvis" - Zaphod Beeblebrox Latest Blog Post: Just Quit Facebook? No One Cares!

11-07-2007, 12:46 PM	#16
The Telcontarion The one true King of the human race, direct descendant of Adam and heir to the kings of old. "You owe me your fealty." The Tar Minyaturion Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: By the shores of cuivinien Posts: 694	Yeah, I have never found money randomly and stopped to ask anybody standing around if it belongs to them. Unless I saw someone drop it, that's different. __________________ Proverbs 21:3 To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. Ecclesiasticus 2:1-5 1 My son, if thou come to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation... ...4 Whatsoever is brought upon thee take cheerfully, and be patient when thou art changed to a low estate. 5 For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity. Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

11-07-2007, 06:18 PM	#17
Lief Erikson Elf Lord Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Fountain Valley, CA Posts: 6,343	Or if it's a large amount as opposed to something small, I'd just leave it there because whoever dropped it might come back looking for it. If it's something really small though, I'd probably just pick it up and keep it. It's not like a one or a five dollar bill would do anyone any good lying on the sidewalk or in the gutter. Or does anyone think that someone might come back for that? If so, I'd leave that too rather than take it. I just doubt anyone would come back looking for it. If there's identification on anything, I'd send it back to its owner. __________________ If the world has indeed, as I have said, been built of sorrow, it has been built by the hands of love, because in no other way could the soul of man, for whom the world was made, reach the full stature of its perfection. ~Oscar Wilde, written from prison Oscar Wilde's last words: "Either the wallpaper goes, or I do." Last edited by Lief Erikson : 11-07-2007 at 06:20 PM.

11-13-2007, 02:35 PM	#20
Insidious Rex Quasi Evil Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Maryland, US Posts: 4,634	Heres how it works: if you find cash on the ground (less then a huge amount) its yours. The chances of tracking down its owner is remote. So Lief leaving it there just guarantees the next person will take it. If you find a ton of cash, give it to the police. If they cant find the rightful owner you get it anyway. No guilt that way (although the police may steal it). Another reason to do this is because often times random cash can be from illegal transactions that someone left so as to avoid being caught with it. If you take it they may want their money and they may do whatever it takes to get it back. Theres also been cases of people getting arrested for finding and keeping large sums of drug money because its considered being a witness to a crime/interfering with a criminal case and maybe even helping to launder money. But we are only talking about thousands of dollars. $50? Its yours. If you find a wallet, if it has a relatively small amount of cash along with other items then take the cash (finders fee) and return the wallet and other items to its owner. Anyone that’s lost a wallet is more than delighted to get back their wallet, credit cards, identification, etc. and will happily give up the cash in their assuming its not like hundreds of dollars (Ive been on both ends of this). Now this only applies if you DON’T see them lose the items. If you see someone drop something return it. This just applies when you’ve recovered something that’s already lost. __________________ "People's political beliefs don't stem from the factual information they've acquired. Far more the facts people choose to believe are the product of their political beliefs." "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."