Research finds wealth warps your perspective and makes you less ethical

[octoberlib]

Across multiple studies, researchers at the University of California at Berkeley have found that being in the upper-class predisposes individuals to acting unethically.

Studies conducted by psychology professor Paul Piff found those who drive luxury cars were less likely to stop for pedestrians, those with more money were more likely take candy from children, and the wealthiest among us were more likely to cheat in a game with a $50 cash prize. Researchers at UC Berkeley have also found lower-class individuals are more physiologically attuned to the suffering of others than their middle- and upper-class counterparts.

Piff has come under attack because of his research on socioeconomic classes.I’ve gotten a lot of hate mail and vitriol from people calling me out for junk science and having a liberal agenda,” he said. “Our findings apply to both liberals and conservatives. It doesn’t matter who you are. If you’re wealthy, you’re more likely to show these patterns of results.”

Piff manipulated the rules of a Monopoly game to show even lower class people began to take on the traits of the wealthy when provided with unfairly favorable circumstances. Those given an unfair advantage surprisingly believed they deserved to win the game. They attributed their successes to their own individual skills and talents, rather than their highly favorable circumstances. A higher class person put in an unfavorable position, on the other hand, began to take on the traits of the poor.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/06/20/research-finds-wealth-warps-your-perspective-and-makes-you-less-ethical/

[jberryhill]

1. "more likely to cheat in a game with a $50 cash prize"

What else will they do for $50 bucks?

[octoberlib]

3. I know , right? It explains why buying a congressman is

relatively cheap.

[JI7]

2. i think it depends on how they became wealthy, those who actually work for it

and experience all it took to get it may be more compassionate toward others.

but those who inherit or get it through corrupt ways (both cases apply to romney) are more likely to be cold toward others. they think they work for what they have and since they got it so easily(since they inherit and/or cheat) they think anyone who doesn't have it is just lazy and not working hard as they are.

there are assholes among less wealthy also. i especially notice assholes among those who are in the higher end of the middle class. they do well enough but they are resentful of not having what the very wealthy have and they blame those who are poor for it by trying to say it's because of things like food stamps. these types tend to be ones who follow trends and feel the need to keep up and show off . easy swayed jack asses.

even among the very poor you could find assholes who think they are a special case and them getting food stamps or other welfare programs is an exception while others who get it don't want to work for it. see crag t nelson comments for this. those in this group also tend to be religious conservatives.

[octoberlib]

4. I think you have something there.

The Koch brothers also fall into the inherited wealth category.

[ReRe]

5. The Corporation has known this all along...

K&R

... their ace in the hole, actually. People you would never believe could sell out, do. So sad. Those who fall for it usually live to regret it. Some never realize what hit them, and wonder what did.

[raouldukelives]

9. + 10000! nt

[sigmasix]

6. true american conservative orthodoxy

True American conservatives ought to see inherited wealth and power for the AntiAmerican proposition that it is. Proud American success stories always involve a truly self-made person- someone that earns thier own way and the trust of others. Sadly, American meritocracy was the first target for right wing destruction and the very notion of merit-based fairness in America has become a subject for history books.

I wonder if the moral relationship is more two-way; perhaps one becomes wealthy because they believe in doing bad things like cheating and stealing. The criminally wealthy exist in a different moral atmosphere than everyone else- and they believe they deserve it.

[jtuck004]

7. Doesn't make them less ethical. They choose to be less ethical. It's an interesting

insight into humans. I didn't see anything mentioned, but I suspect, and it's just a guess, that many other animals don't exhibit that same behaviour.

[stillwaiting]

8. Once you become wealthy enough to have sizable assets invested in many public companies, then

you continue to vastly increase your own wealth at hugely immoral costs to the planet and many, many other people.

It's the way our system currently operates. It is built on subjugation, cruelty, and immorality.