Imagine this scenario: you’re working a slow shift at a hotel lobby when a hurried individual approaches the front desk. They’ve found a lost wallet nearby but don’t have time to deal with it, leaving it in your hands. The wallet contains a key, a grocery list, about $13, and three business cards with a name and email. What would you do?
Between 2013 and 2016, over 17,000 front-desk workers worldwide found themselves in this exact situation, unknowingly becoming part of a massive study on honesty. The results of this experiment, conducted by the universities of Michigan, Utah, and Zurich, surprised even top economists and researchers.
Honesty is often thought of in terms of truth-telling in our personal relationships. However, it’s a fundamental pillar of every healthy society. Whether it’s using public services, conducting business transactions, or deciding government policies, we rely on a baseline expectation of honesty from our fellow citizens. Therefore, understanding what drives honesty is a crucial research subject for economists, psychologists, and sociologists.
The Lost Wallet Test was designed to answer a critical question: will people engage in opportunistic behavior when there’s little-to-no chance of being caught? To conduct this experiment, 13 research assistants traveled to 355 cities in 40 different countries, recreating the same scenario in various establishments.
The wallets used in the experiment were transparent, allowing participants to see their contents. Half of the wallets contained a key, a grocery list, and business cards, while the other half also included the equivalent of roughly 13 US dollars.
Researchers hypothesized that the presence of money would discourage honesty. They believed that participants’ self-interest would overpower their altruistic desire not to harm the wallet’s owner and their desire to maintain a positive self-image. However, the study found the exact opposite. While only 46% of cash-free wallets were reported, 61% of cash wallets were called in. This pattern held true globally, regardless of the participants’ age, gender, or whether they were being observed during the wallet drop-off.
In a surprising twist, when researchers increased the temptation to be dishonest by including nearly $100 in the wallets, people reported 72% of these big money wallets. Several theories explain why honesty increases as the wallet becomes more valuable. Some suggest that taking larger sums of money feels more like theft, making it harder to maintain a positive self-image. Others believe that the perceived harm to the wallet’s owner increases with the financial stakes.
The Lost Wallet Test suggests that self-interest might not be as powerful as we often think. Seeing yourself as an honest person can motivate you to be an honest person. By modeling this behavior and celebrating it in others, we can help create an honest society we can all rely on.
Imagine you are a front-desk worker who has just received a lost wallet. Role-play with a classmate to explore different reactions and decisions you might make. Discuss how you felt during each scenario and what influenced your decisions.
Divide the class into two groups. One group argues that people are naturally honest, while the other argues that people are naturally dishonest. Use evidence from the Lost Wallet Test to support your arguments. After the debate, discuss what you learned about honesty.
Create a survey to ask your classmates and family members what they would do if they found a lost wallet. Collect the responses and analyze the data to see if it aligns with the findings of the Lost Wallet Test. Present your findings to the class.
Conduct a research project on honesty in different cultures. Compare your findings with the results of the Lost Wallet Test. How do cultural norms and values influence honesty? Present your research in a multimedia format, such as a video or slideshow.
Write a short story from the perspective of someone who finds a lost wallet. Describe their internal conflict and the decision they ultimately make. Reflect on how the story illustrates the concepts of honesty and self-image discussed in the article.
honesty – the quality or condition of being honest; integrity; truthfulness – Honesty is always the best policy, even when it’s difficult.
healthy society – a society that promotes physical, mental, and social well-being for all its members – A healthy society invests in education, healthcare, and social programs to ensure the well-being of its citizens.
baseline expectation – a fundamental or minimum level of expectation – In any job, meeting deadlines is a baseline expectation.
opportunistic behavior – behavior characterized by taking advantage of opportunities for personal gain – The politician’s opportunistic behavior was evident when he switched parties for his own benefit.
chance of being caught – the likelihood of being discovered or found out – The thief decided not to steal the item because he knew there was a high chance of being caught on camera.
presence of money – the existence or availability of wealth or currency – The presence of money can often lead to greed and corruption if not managed properly.
self-interest – concern for one’s own personal gain or advantage – The CEO’s decision to lay off employees was driven by self-interest rather than the company’s well-being.
altruistic desire – a selfless concern for the well-being of others – The philanthropist’s altruistic desire led her to donate a large portion of her wealth to charity.
positive self-image – a favorable perception or view of oneself – Developing a positive self-image is important for building self-confidence and achieving personal goals.
increasing the stakes – raising the level of risk, reward, or consequences – As the game progressed, the players decided to increase the stakes by doubling the bet.
