The lost wallet experiment. The more money in the wallet the more likely to be returned.

[Goonie]

Honesty is majority policy in lost wallet experiment

Interesting, though I can’t say I am surprised. Losing something is something everyone can identify with.

 

[Occams Barber]

Honesty is majority policy in lost wallet experiment

Interesting, though I can’t say I am surprised. Losing something is something everyone can identify with.

Thanks @Goonie

I found the reporting-rate-by-country graphic below in the original Science paper. The orange dots are the reporting rates for wallets without money while the red dots are for wallets with money.

Switzerland is the most honest and, as usual, the Scandinavians (plus Netherlands) are leading the pack.
OB

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Honesty is majority policy in lost wallet experiment

Interesting, though I can’t say I am surprised. Losing something is something everyone can identify with.

I picked up a wallet that was left behind by a passenger who got off the bus before I got on. I found out his contact details and contacted him to come to my workplace to collect the wallet. He came, and I gave him the wallet, for which he was very grateful. Then he took two US $20 bills out of it and gave them to me as a reward! I didn't ask for a reward and I felt embarrassed, but he was glad to give them to me to have his wallet returned to him so promptly. So there are blessings for being honest!

 

[Goonie]

Thanks @Goonie

I found the reporting-rate-by-country graphic below in the original Science paper. The orange dots are the reporting rates for wallets without money while the red dots are for wallets with money.

Switzerland is the most honest and, as usual, the Scandinavians (plus Netherlands) are leading the pack.
OB

What I find interesting is the low rate of returns in China. Given that it is one of the most highly surveilled countries on earth one would have thought the fear of being caught keeping the wallet would have played an influence.

 

[Occams Barber]

What I find interesting is the low rate of returns in China. Given that it is one of the most highly surveilled countries on earth one would have thought the fear of being caught keeping the wallet would have played an influence.

If I can find the time, enough enthusiasm and the actual wallet-reporting percentages per country, I'd like to correlate these results with the GINI index of income equality.

While the trend vaguely follows low to high GDP, my gut says that income (in)equality may be the key. The middle range results for USA/UK/Canada are inconsistent with a straight GDP (i.e., the overall 'wealth' of a country) and I think China's position may be GINI related. From memory China comes in lastish on equitable income distribution. USA also rates badly on income distribution which may explain their poor result.

Canada just doesn't seem to fit anywhere.
OB

Edit: If I compared the result of this experiment to 'religiosity' (a Gallup measure) in Western, nominally Christian, countries where do you think Christianity would rate?
OB

 

[Moral Orel]

I don't understand why there's a deviation between the two at all. If you find a wallet with no money in it, you return it. If you find a wallet with money in it, clearly you take the money and then return the wallet and ask for a reward.

 

[gaara4158]

Interesting that Peru and Mexico were the only countries where people were more likely to return it without money than with money, if they even returned it at all.

 

[FireDragon76]

Thanks @Goonie

I found the reporting-rate-by-country graphic below in the original Science paper. The orange dots are the reporting rates for wallets without money while the red dots are for wallets with money.

Switzerland is the most honest and, as usual, the Scandinavians (plus Netherlands) are leading the pack.
OB

It doesn't surprise me that the top quintile are mostly Scandinavian countries.