Would you pass the wallet test?

[@Preyinglol]

If you've ever lost your phone or wallet and felt that sinking feeling you know how bad it is. The difference you make to someone by returning their lost item far outweighs the minor benefit you get from keeping it.

[@joaoschimidt4946]

That's true. I've lost my phone a couple weeks ago and had it returned from a stranger that found it, it really is the most amazing feeling in the world to be able to experience honesty from people that don't know you. After this experience, I would never be able to sleep knowing that I possess a lost item in hands (with someone probably active looking for it).

[@coldgold2683]

Right? I thought as well that they didn't put enough emphasis on the factor of empathy as well as the feel-good factor of making other people feel good

[@lalafl200]

Ummmm great point! I'll seriously remember this when I find something

[@imadeanaccountjustforthisc9987]

@Draven Zorèander well what if that key is for something very important? Now you have the change the lock.

[@coubclub9419]

no. I like minor benefits.

[@jhonbus]

This experiment doesn't just measure honesty, though. The person at the desk has to actually do work if they want to contact the "owner". The options aren't just "Return wallet to owner" or "Steal wallet and contents", they also include "Shove wallet in drawer, I'm busy" and "Shove wallet in drawer, owner will probably come to collect it" - especially if you're working at a hotel desk, this is probably what you'd expect. The amount of effort you're willing to put in obviously depends on the value of the wallet. Is it worth spending the time to contact the owner for a wallet with no money in it? Maybe? What if you've got a load of other customer enquiries to deal with and your supervisor is going to be annoyed if you're behind? Even to the extent it _does_ measure honesty, they've really not designed a scenario where the person they're testing isn't worried about getting caught. There are probably cameras, and the fact someone came and handed it to you means you're aware somebody knows it was given to you.

[@jonathanlevy9635]

I was about to say the same, if you have to do the slightest work this is no longer the same question

[@DennisComella]

If it were me and someone handed me a cheap wallet with no value, I wouldn't try very hard to return it. If it had an ID or other valuables, I'd want to do the "right thing." But I agree that this is a poor test of honesty.

[@zyntkalla6761]

And it depends who finds the wallet. The person that finds it could be really poor. And I don't think they would care about honesty if they were poor they are more worried about finding a meal. And if they did the test with all poor people the results would be different.

[@Panda_Roll]

There is also the sense of "value". Those clear purses tend to be cheap so if it's just a business card and a key then who really cares, both can be replaced, no need to hurry. Money and a grocery list however changes things as that creates more urgency. This test was less about honesty and more about getting people to be pro-active.

[@HopeRock425]

All of them had a key, I think anyone would think it's important to have a house key. Even if there isn't money.

[@cristiansoutside]

I remember going backpacking a month ago and this lady had dropped her wallet as I passed her and I instantly told one of my friends to take off his heavy backpack and chase after her, (she was trail running down hill) and when she noticed him and stopped she was so grateful. That is worth more than any cash we could have ever gotten from anyone

[@teacherdavid--eatplaylearn5013]

Blessings from Taiwan 🇹🇼😇🧧🎁🥳

[@lfcbpro]

Yeah, I think the reward of making someone happy is more than a certain amount of money to a lot of people. I think that is similar to giving a nice gift to someone, it is the response from them that is the value.

[@lemmesmashpls]

And that son is how I met your mother.

[@master.9202]

@@teacherdavid--eatplaylearn5013 no one asked?

[@jujub4553]

lol, smart of you to make your friend do the running haha

[@drewainge1059]

I always walk my dog around a church backyard. I am not an attendee of that church. I walk my dog there every weekday where there are no people around. One monday morning i found two $50 dollar bills folded together under a garden bench... i dont see any people around and there's no one in the church. For the first time ever i went inside the church and dropped the bills in the donation box, pretty sure that money is from someone who attended the church service the day before... when i got home i looked for my in my drawer to buy some food... i soon realized that inforgot thay i put a pair of 50 dollar bills in my pocket the night before....

[@thesurvivorssanctuary6561]

*God will remember this...* Also that is the most hilarious and sweet thing I've ever heard! It sounds like something I'd do, on a good day.

[@watchingyouj112]

LOLLLLLLL

[@watchingyouj112]

LMAO RN

[@AnimalKing-n2k]

Oops… Do you regret dropping in the donation box ?

[@diarythatyouforgot8704]

Similar thing happen to me just days before. When i found folded money on street after crosswalk with this old lady. I thought that it was her money so i ran to her. Just realize that it was money droped from my own pocket.

[@cheythompson740]

I definitely would return it, I know what it's like loosing important things. I once found a wallet with $950 in it along with other bank cards and a drivers license. Next to it was a photo of a little girl, I phoned the number on the driver's license and it turned out the money was for the little girls chemotherapy and my heart just melted. Always return or do your best to return things to there owners you never know how important it is to its owner.

[@stevezagieboylo9172]

Good for you! I, too, have passed the wallet test, though I have to admit it wasn't nearly as dramatic as yours. There was only $35 in it but it did include a couple of credit cards.

[@asddsa8203]

Imagine living in a country where chemotherapy isn't free.

[@l.w.paradis2108]

@@asddsa8203 Especially for a little girl.

[@silentsmurf]

TIL driver’s licenses in some places list the individual’s phone number

[@arandombard1197]

Things didn't happen.....

[@suicaedere7244]

I think empathy is a strong incentive, if you found money with no context then you would keep it because you have no other thing to do with it, but context, the idea someone had all this money and personal stuff like ID and keys is a strong incentive to think how much distress would cause them lose it.

[@Orange_Swirl]

That's exactly what I did a couple of weeks ago, but not for lack of trying on my part. There was just no one around the general area who could have left 10 dollars there

[@dombo813]

Even without the other things, if you found a 20 on the street, I think you'd be more likely to keep it if the bill was alone than if the bill was inside a wallet, even if the wallet was otherwise empty. A random note feels a lot less like something somebody has lost, it's just a part of the environment. The presence of the wallet alone makes you aware the note once belonged to someone else.

[@seph9853]

A big reason why people who view themselves as honest are more likely to return the wallet is actually due to something called cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance in the tension our mind experiences when what we say doesn't match what we do. Our brain hates this tension, so we either change our attitude of our actions or our actions to match our attitude. The more you know!

[@nikkyboy1067]

A guy, with a full backpack and a rain jacket, knocked on my second floor apartment door one day. Wondering what he could want, I opened the door to find him extending my wallet towards me in his hand. I was baffled since I thought it was safely in my home but it turns out I must've dropped it on my way home instead (I walk much like this man with a backpack). He told me he found it some miles away and decided to return it to its owner. 20+ dollars were untouched and I got my ID and debit card back. Years later, I still regret not giving him some money or an umbrella. He turned around and returned to what was a very heavy downpour. I was shocked. I just took my wallet and profused immense gratitude without actually rewarding this honest man for his efforts. Edit: 1k likes for a silly story I happened to recall on my favorite KZbin channel. Thank you everyone!

[@tristanmoller9498]

It happens as you described more often than you think. Sometimes the moment is just a little overwhelming or happens too fast. So don’t worry. Also, you could pay it forward (for example by giving someone in need the amount of money you would have wanted to give the person, who returned your wallet) and in the grand scheme of things, doing your best like that is good enough.

[@jadsadd]

Ngl u woulda neva seen that 20 bucks again if dat was me

[@Angels-3xist]

Here’s to karma giving that guy a good day today.

[@Mehwhatevr]

I’ve deliver wallets like that before. I didn’t want a reward. I doubt this guy did either. Unless profuse gratitude is a reward, in which case that’s the only reward he cared about. You showed appreciation, that’s enough. Don’t worry about it

[@RosheenQuynh]

@@jadsadd tf dude 😐

[@jaysoesbee4155]

I was actually asked this question during a board interview. My reply was that I’d turn it it, but return a few weeks later to see if I could claim the unclaimed property. They said that was the most honest answer they ever had.

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

You're a thief. Good to know.

[@RK-cj4oc]

@@scottslotterbeck3796 Not a thief if nobody owns it anymore.

[@CrypticCobra]

@@RK-cj4oc how does he know the owner won't show up a few weeks and one day later? :D

[@bigpeenerpeen]

@@CrypticCobra there’s actually a limit to how long you must wait. Under 500 in value you must wait and make every reasonable attempt to contact the owner. After some time you can take ownership of it. however if the value is too high you can never take it

[@CrypticCobra]

@@bigpeenerpeen that may be policy from place to place, but their is no finders fee laws that actually prevent you from collecting it, much less laws that force you to turn it in in the first place. And no, don't act like general "theft" is a viable law. Laws actually need to be enforceable, and you can't really enforce theft on someone who picks up a few 100 from the ground. Good luck ever actually proving a victim owns it, or who actually picked it up. And don't bother commenting that you could be recorded picking it up, camera technology isn't actually good enough to id strangers. It's only good for confirming a known person. Wanna know a fun workaround to any policy if you wanna collect the money you turned in? Just ask a random friend to walk in and ask for the money (let the friend know the amount and where it was found). Assuming the place you turned it into didn't already just pocket it, their is literally no way the place can distinguish your friend from the actual owner. Cash is cash, it has no id to verify.

[@namdoolb]

The professional setting plays into this hugely. Firstly, it creates a psychological barrier between the subject & the wallet: the wallet has been handed in to the establishment not the individual. Secondly it means that they are reaching out to the owner on company time & not on their own time. Thirdly it raises the possibility of personal gain from inside the establishment: honest actions like that present a positive image of the company (or wherever they work for) & as such will most likely be encouraged in some shape or form by management.

[@Panda_Roll]

I don't know. I've found a wallet full of cash in the movies and still handed it in. I think most of us are better than we think we are.

[@TheHappyZappy]

@@Panda_Roll that’s not what they’re saying

[@JP-br4mx]

@@Panda_Roll no you are not.

[@jimmiller368]

Career hotel guy here, Plenty of self interest in returning the wallet. Even if it’s just an “attaboy” and a good thought toward you, then it’s still worth more than the $. A possible raise in my future is worth way more than some randos pocket change and MySpace card.

[@pranamahardika300]

Well for some more random survey but with smaller subject ,you could check mark rober

[@BonrekTheOrc]

Back in the late 1980s I found a purse (that looked like it belonged to a child) and handed it in at the local police station. The purse contain about £4 to £5 in small denomination coins and there was no identification in the purse. I went back to the police station after 3 months to see if it had been claimed, as the law here it that unclaimed lost property can be claimed by the finder after 3 months. I was told that the purse had been claimed. Being a bit suspicious I bought an old purse from a jumble sale a couple of weeks later. I put approximately £6.50 in the purse and then took the purse to the police station. Three months later went back to claim the purse only to be told that it had been claimed by somebody. I can only presume sadly that the police officer who logged the lost property either stole it himself or gave details of the purse to a friend and they claimed it.

[@wanderinglizzy]

Given the fact that it was handed in to the police... this is sadly not surprising.

[@lceBreak3r]

Could there be dishonest people who check in at the police station from time to time to see if there are lost wallets up to claim even though it's not theirs?

[@silasfrisenette9226]

Or he could have been aware of it being past the 3 months and having taken it himself after waiting the time ..? 🤔

[@silasfrisenette9226]

Oh, only the finder can claim it. Hmm

[@owl-arm7545]

@@lceBreak3r Surely you can't just rock up to a police station and say, "I've lost a wallet" and they hand any old wallet over? You'd have to give some form of vague description of the specifics of the one you had lost?

[@AceAlbatros]

This is what we need to see more of. The positive and compassion of people and to know there’s still good out there.

[@tahaattari9221]

Your correct

[@GraveUypo]

eh, not sure 46~70% return rate is something to be happy about. means ~half of the population are thieves waiting for an opportunity.

[@Malignant_Tumour]

There’s not tho

[@circa1890]

It's definitely still rampant. Many people are good citizens regardless of religion (or lack of one), age, gender, status, etc. Sheesh, I've even had a $20 bill handed back to me, that I'd dropped on the street, by a man who was homeless .. (then handed it straight back to him - yep, honesty can sometimes pay off). Pretty much every one I know would pass this test without blinking..

[@mustmakecaramel8465]

i can't speak about the money but i feel like putting a key inside both wallets made the number of reports higher overall too if there's a lost key i start imagining someone not being able to get into their home easily

[@kamikeserpentail3778]

I leave my spare car key in my wallet. Because I lock my main key in my car so very often...

[@FELiPES101]

There are some obvious missed incentives in this experiment. Neither of the values mentioned are worth losing your job over given the pay of the position. One would also assume that as the value of the missing possession increases the likelihood of the owner searching for said possession and engaging the business increases.

[@davea6314]

Exactly

[@alexnaumov4854]

So they really lost years for this research. Who paid for all the international travel?

[@Mehwhatevr]

Yeah. I thought they had put 100 dollars in the wallet. Or at least 50… but 13??? I’ve seen KZbinrs do better experiments where they lose wallets in public places.

[@nala6846]

@@Mehwhatevr 3:58 They did put $100 in some of the wallets

[@Mehwhatevr]

@@nala6846 I thought I had misheard lol

[@beeman2075]

About ten years ago I found a purse dropped on the floor in a darkened corridor entrance to a multiplex cinema. No-one observing and no chance of being caught. I didn't open it and handed it straight in to the ticket booth staff, and told them the specific location it had been left in. You just hope someone else would do the same if you lost your own wallet or purse in such a manner.

[@Kaputt512]

Maybe wallets without money were returned less often because they may think: "Ok, someone has already stolen all the money. If I return it, the owner will likely blame me"?

[@craigmalcom6294]

That’s a good point

[@thelastdankbender4353]

Good example for narcissistic thinking.

[@RainebowEvee]

Mark Rober did a video dropping 200 wallets across the US a couple years back and I highly recommend watching that one! He compares the numbers and variables such as race, religion, gender, income level etc. which I think weren't included in this experiment that may have a large impact on what a person would choose to do.

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

That one sounds worlds better. This one reduces the overall understanding of the phenomenon *greatly* by drastically restricting the experiment to a set group of people. A commendable attempt mayhaps, but greatly lacking at best, regardless.

[@thepinkpanther895]

Why would you include race in a test like that?

[@RickJaeger]

Why wouldn't you? Either there will be a noticeable difference, in which case there may be some important factor at work which will merit investigation, or there won't be, in which case, bully for all races involved.

[@parthbonde2106]

@@thepinkpanther895 why not?

[@Hypernefelos]

@@thepinkpanther895 Because it's the US, they seem to include race in everything. Probably because their 'peculiar institution' and its aftermath left them with skin pigment-separated subcultures.

[@shimongal3242]

Now do honesty test to politicians

[@katherineknapp4370]

I agree

[@thegoddess3580]

Nobody will even qualify for the test

[@RobespierreChelsea]

I remember leaving a wallet at a restaurant in Ibiza. I went back and the waitor said somebody handed it in. It was missing €40. Such a kind soul.

[@wonderstruck.]

I returned a wallet once. It had like $500 in cash in it, and the guy was so grateful, thanking me over and over

[@CrypticCobra]

if he was thankful you would have left with $100 ;)

[@GiftSparks]

The marginal utility of keeping the money is not matched by the good feeling one gets from returning it. My friend found the wallet of a famous author that contained nearly $1K in cash. When he came to pick it up, he offered her a reward, but she declined and just suggested he write her a Thank You note. He did that and enclosed a copy of his most recent book “autographed.”

[@aundramice]

I used to work at a dorm front desk, we'd get wallets and clutches at least once a week. Some were nearly impossible to return for various reasons but we still held onto them in case someone came for it. Eventually we'd amassed over 100$ in the desk drawer but the RA's agreed not to take the money till the end of the year. Desk assistants were eventually hired and all the cash from the wallets disappeared within the week.

[@becuriouschinmay]

"Seeing yourself an honest person can motivate you to be an honest person" greatest quote on honesty

[@km1dash6]

I did this experiment informally, and accidentally, once. I found a wallet with $100 in it and turned it in to the front desk of a hotel I was staying at. It didn't have a business card or anything that could identify a person, so I just assumed someone would ask for it later. My aunt said I made a mistake, and should have kept the money because the clerk at the front desk would keep the money and maybe sell the wallet. I said that wouldn't happen. I described the wallet to my aunt and she told the front desk she lost her wallet, describing the one I found. The person there was the one I gave the wallet to, and it was just an hour prior, so he would have remembered, but he said no one turned in a wallet. My aunt pointed to me and said "my nephew said he just gave you my wallet about an hour ago. And it had $100 in it." The guy then went to the back and gave her the wallet.

[@jaysonfabiyi942]

Wow

[@paigeb1318]

So....your aunt kept the wallet?!

[@benjamindover4337]

That aunt just conned you out of $100. Savage.

[@km1dash6]

No. My aunt gave me the wallet. She say that there was no way to get the wallet to the rightful owner, and giving it to the front desk would mean the employee would just keep it.

[@El-Burrito]

I would at least ask the person to identify what the wallet looked like and it's contents before confirming that I had it or handing it over.

[@shaksiyat]

Once my sister lost her $30 pack of diapers at a mall. She went back to search for it . Surprisingly she found out local men fighting over that diapers pack claiming it to be theirs. 😂😂

[@chandrahasreddy1729]

Wtff 🤣🤣🤣

[@firstnamelastnamer7195]

so did she staked her claim or just watched from the ringside? :)

[@jestfullgremblim8002]

@@firstnamelastnamer7195 i also want to know

[@mammontustado9680]

India?

[@interestsavvy6813]

Indians

[@candicraveingcloude2822]

There are several questions in addition to just honesty that this test does not address. 1. Did they have the time to contact the people listed? 2. Did they remember to contact the person later if I don't have the time? 3. Did they think the person will just find the thing on their own? 4. Is this against the business rules for handling lost things especially since the cameras may likely catch this? 5. What happens if the person lives outside the US? Where do we send it to and what happens if it's caught by custody?

[@adeelliaqat5899]

I have done it multiple times and i don't even consider it an achievement. My parents taught me this and I am teaching it to my children. Honesty should be a way of life for humans, not something to brag about.

[@Sid-mj1qf]

This reminds me of my Grandpa's story...We as a family were struggling to meet our ends. One day, he found a Bag full of jewels with visiting card in a train...When my grandma opened it, he told her to close it immediately since,the longer you see, the more desire grows...He called them, they came and took their bag, thanked him and guess what, Years later, Due to their recommendation my brother got a seat in a Naval university. One good act can make your life prosperous.

[@HooksBill]

I found a guy's wallet at the gym. It's a small town gym where you let yourself in and it's not monitored. I looked in the wallet and found the owner's address and returned it. I didn't get so much as a thank you from the guy, but I felt good about doing the right thing returning it. I would guess there was between $50 and $100 in the wallet, but I didn't count it.

[@juances]

To me it's a simple "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you." If I ever lose my wallet I'd want it to be returned so that's what I'd do.

[@higgsboston6727]

I think punishment also plays a role in this experiment. most people wouldn't steal the money not only because they found it wrong, but also because there is the possibility of the owner coming back or the authorities finding out about it and punishing you. It is much more of a risk to take the wallet than to just return it back.

[@optimusprime320-h9c]

I think this reveals more about economist than it does the average person. Economists always assume the worst about human behavior and help politicians craft policies around that basis thus contributing to some of the worst systems we humans have lived under but except because economists tell us it’s the only way.

[@StopCopCity1312]

I remember reading about this in another study and 80% of people return it if it has money in it.

[@hmshector42]

It’s the neoliberalism thing

[@prasunbagdi6112]

Because most of the humans do the worst thing 🤦‍♂️

[@itsgonnabeanaurfromme]

@@prasunbagdi6112 source?

[@sexmansex4776]

@@itsgonnabeanaurfromme human history

[@Aderon]

I remember a moment from when I was younger that must have been perplexing to those involved: When I was walking through the mall with my grandma, a couple of teenage girls were walking past and one of them dropped a 5 dollar bill without noticing. I walked up behind them, and promptly handed them the bill and said that they dropped it. The teenagers were perplexed, said thanks, and handed me a dollar bill. I mean, people probably wouldn't break a sweat over $5 today, and maybe not even back then, but I still find the perplexed looks on their face amusing to this day.

[@Bandrik]

That profile picture... Is that an Avali? *squints* ah, it is! Very cool, Avali are neat! Also, fun story, I can imagine their perplexed look. I'm glad you can still remember that happening. :)

[@zacadoole1]

In my experience working in the service industry, the lost-and-found policy is usually to not give out any information until someone comes in person and gives you a physical description of the object, at which point you can give it to them. This is because if you tell them you have it and then you lose it then the business becomes liable for it. If someone asks you over the phone or in an email I was only allowed to say “we have an item matching that description”

[@macdjord]

I once lost my wallet. It was mailed back to me, with all my cards and documents but short the ~$200 in cash I'd had in it. (And, TBH, I was fine with that; trying to get everything replaced without the benefit of any ID would have been a nightmare.) I wonder: did they follow up by collecting the wallets? When they did, did the wallets always have the money in them? I'd also be interested in seeing a similar experiment but with the wallet loaded with additional valuable but non-fungible items - a driver's license, a picture of 'mom', etc..

[@andrewjgrimm]

Some jurisdictions prohibit the mailing of cash. I don’t know if that was the motivation here, but it’s one possibility.

[@ahmadfsalam]

Could be that the money was taken by the first person who found the wallet, who threw it away for the next person to find. A person returning it risks being accused of theft if the owner claims there was more money in it etc.

[@MrStrowg]

A KZbinr Mark Rober did similar experiment in US, you should check it out

[@clysen8234]

It's your fault for losing it tho

[@Fools_Requiem]

I'd consider the 200 bucks a finders fee for the person that returned it. Losing my ID and credit cards is a big deal.

[@Amvndah]

If it’s loose money and I found it, literally with no one in sight, I’d keep it. But a wallet, no. Cause you know exactly who it belongs to & where to take it. Vs a random bill on the ground

[@phoenixflamegames1]

I mean that makes sense, you can’t really trace someone with just money.

[@spockboy]

I've done it. An old man had lost his wallet on the street the day before. I found his contact information inside and called him. He drove about 30 miles to meet me and the look on his face was so worth it.

[@Heightren]

Perhaps also the smaller wallet just seemed much more of a hassle to return for the perceived improvement in self-image.

[@lotfibouhedjeur]

Of course. At some point during my adolescence I reached the conclusion that what is not mine is just NOT mine.

[@Skittenmeow]

One Christmas (2005) I lost my purse at a very busy shopping mall, quite a distance from my home. It had $500 cash in it (bonus pay), along with all my cards and ID and a gift voucher I got for my brother. I spent hours hunting the mall only to give up and go home. Someone had slipped the purse, contents intact, into my front door slot. It was then that l broke down and cried. I've had similar things happen many times in my life, with people going above and beyond to pass the "wallet test" and l generally haven't met any of them!

[@namelesscare7982]

To return any type of lost belongings to their owner. (not just a wallet) That's a rare example of kindness and honesty.

[@Phlegethon]

I once did and the person asked me where the $200 in his wallet was….

[@PsychologyBookWorld]

“Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people.”

[@lencsesartur5134]

This happened to me once working as a hotel receptionist some years ago. Not a see through wallet so I doubt I was part of the survey. Found a wallet on the street without anyone around during a smoke break. It countained all IDs, credit cards etc. and aorund 700 -800$ worth of money in my native currency. Showed it into drawer as there was no contact info inside it and let my collegues know about it if anyone shows up. A day later during my shift again, a man came in asking about it, he was the same as on the IDs, gave them to him and he left without saying thank you or good bye...

[@billsilishebo8574]

Seeing yourself an as honest person can motivate you to be an honest person 🤝🏾

[@lynxfirenze4994]

Honestly I'd be more inclined to return a wallet containing something seemingly valuable too. A cheap plastic wallet with some business cards and a grocery list is barely worth the effort of picking it up for the owner. A wallet with say 100 dollars in on the other hand: Someone has lost a hundred dollars and probably wants it back.

[@frikativos]

I found on a bus few years ago a wallet with a bit over 60€, identity card and bank cards from someone from my neighbour country. I had lost my own wallet before and I know how bad I felt to lose so many important things plus the money. He was super happy when he recovered it. I am glad I sent it back to his owner. I believe the fact that there was money in it made me want to send it even more, since I felt bad for him.

[@jujub4553]

I absolutely would. I return and have returned lost/dropped stuff all the time. I always think “if it were me”

[@bloopsmoot1534]

I am a sophomore at a pretty citified college and in my year I have found 2 wallets lying around. I am happy to say I have not stolen from either and gotten both successfully back to said owners

[@roannathephoenix8561]

Thank you for a positive take on humanity. I had seriously wondered if it still existed.

[@smanjula8921]

Honesty is the best policy

[@El-Burrito]

Only $13 in the wallet? Surely that's not even worth stealing.

[@andaction.agency]

Dear TED-Ed team, thank you for amazing cooperation on this project! We enjoyed it a loooot ❤❤❤❤

[@Nokia-se9ob]

One of the reasons I think why people are more likely to return wallets that have large sum of money in it is because not returning the valuable wallet poses a great risk of being caught by the owner. The higher the value of the wallet, the higher the determination of the owner to find it. Basically, people usually don't keep wallets with buckloads of money due to fear that they will be caught.

[@FedJimSmith]

they didn't consider that in the study?

[@Nokia-se9ob]

@@FedJimSmith I'm not sure, they didn't said it in the video

[@catsareamazing8821]

I worked at a retail store and I had multiple wallets get left . I would quickly get them put in a safe place and we would try to get thier number , wait for a call or wait for them to come back in . It felt good to make sure someone get thier wallet back .

[@DoctorX17]

I’ve found empty wallets and wallets with hundreds of dollars - the less that’s in it, the less urgent it feels to return it. If it just is a wallet with an ID I might mail it to the address in the ID, but if it has hundreds of dollars I’ll do my homework to make sure it’s actually getting into the proper owner’s hands!

[@rainbowbloom575]

The thing is, we often see humans as individualistic beings when the truth is that we arent. It is an invention that has been refined

[@michellebrouellette]

Unreported wallets might not necessarily reflect theft either. The hotel could very well have a lost and found protocol where the untouched wallet could have been logged and locked up.

[@jackkraken3888]

Exactly, and this is not often known but some hotel deliberately don't contact guests if they leave something because there is a chance they weren't supposed to be there it could cause problems if they are caught.

[@BlueSmoke216]

I've passed a smaller version of this test - a lot of customers where I work have loose cash when paying for food, and when I see a twenty dollar bill on the ground, my first thought is how awful I would feel if I lost twenty dollars, I need to get this back to its owner (so far, successfully). But I'm also not rushing to return loose change, even a small stack of coins. And outside of work I distinctly recall times I've found something as "large" as a dollar or five and just felt I was lucky. I think the amount of money - and understanding how important it might be to its owner - is really important. The grocery list might be an undervalued part of the experiment since it gives wallet-finders a distinct sense of what the money in the wallet was for. If it was just the business cards, that person might come off as less in need of the money.

[@screwdriver9755]

Yeah, the grocery list makes the wallet-finder more likely feel sympathy for the victim and more guilty if they take the money. It encourages them to return it. For example, what if the list was for an old lady and the money was all she had towards groceries. Stealing could mean that you are responsible for a person or an entire family(when it comes to the $100) starving even for a short period of time. This makes it easier for someone to resist self interest and return the wallet to avoid the feeling or responsibility and guilt. Sorry for the paragraph, I was looking for someone to mention to the grocery list for a while 😅

[@MrGamerCaptain]

I wonder if it would be possible to ask the people who didn't return the wallets why they didn't. I wonder if laziness and sense of responsibility play in it and not just honesty.

[@simeonteissier2906]

but if you ask them then they won't tell you "yeah right, i'm a thief, I just wanted to steal that wallet" so it won't be representative of the reality

[@MrGamerCaptain]

@@simeonteissier2906 that's true. unfortunate

[@micahbush5397]

It's possible that someone might just not think returning the wallet is worth the effort if it contains no ID and only $13, whereas a wallet that contains a larger sum or an ID seems more important to return.

[@MrGamerCaptain]

@@micahbush5397 that was one of my thoughts when watching the video. a greater sense of responsiblity rather than a higher sense of "honesty" is a possibility.

[@justcuriousjumperbot_6724]

The basic concept for me is: If you see money bills, then return it. Cards? Give it to someone else and let them return it. Wallet? Don't look inside, just return it. Pennies? Moral decision, either give or take.

[@odisclemons9700]

When I find a wallet I definitely go out of my way to return it. That's 1 less person on the line at the DMV trying to replace their license.

[@parisfrance6483]

Lmao true 😂 DMV always so packed 😫

[@57thorns]

I believe this says more about economists, what they value, their integrity, their honesty, and what builds their self esteem. It also seems this limited study only tested one thing: A service worker at their job. Chances are really high that the wallet belongs to a guest at the hotel, and they will come ask for it later.

[@davidschneide5422]

My niece left her purse w/$400 in a shopping cart at Publix. Luckily, they're so overpriced, they have a different demographic of customers, so she got it back intact.

[@0ZeldaFreak]

I think there are a lot of factors to consider. First is the background of the person who now has to deal with the wallet. A person who makes less money, might take it, because they need money. But on the other hand, the person might know how hard it can be, when you lose money. Now with the wallet itself. When the person who owns the wallet might be rich, it feels less like stealing. When its an old granny purse, it might trigger the picture of an old granny, who barley can live with the money. Also the factor of being watched is big. This was something they tried to avoid but I think its hard to avoid. With a Hotel, the employees might feel more watched at work, compared to an empty dark street. Maybe the situation was pretty unusual or even completely new and they were unsure about the situation. Also a business environment is different than a private one. When caught with bad behavior at work, this damages the reputation of the company. In a private setting, its only your reputation that gets damaged and in this case, this doesn't matter. For the company a bad reputation about lost stuff, is bad. I've seen some wallet tests and even homeless people gave back the wallet with money in it. A homeless person is someone who usually lost everything and who really need the money.

[@ahotdj07]

I found a wallet one time left in the men's restroom at this gas station truck stop. It was in one the commodes (#2). It was left on the toilet paper holder. I took the wallet and brought it home to me. This took place in Fort Smith, Ark. I lived in Little Rock, Ark. at the time. But got home and looked at the drivers license and searched the person by name and address for the phone number. Luckily I got the person. I informed him I found his wallet and if the address on the license is correct, I would drop it in the mail to him. He has much appreciated and wanted to know how much postage would be - I said don't worry about it. He called me when he received the wallet in the mail and thanked me again. Few days later, I received a nice letter from him with a check for $50 as a reward for finding it and being honest. I also learned he was a priest at the local church in Fort Smith. I tore up the check. I would expect and hope someone would do the same thing for me one day.

[@GabrielWJensen]

Haha you have a Ukraine flag in your picture. Hahaahah

[@erikziak1249]

I once found a wallet partially opened lying of the floor in the streetcar I was riding. Clearly somebody must have dropped it and got off. There was nobody near the wallet, so I picked it up and checked it. Luckily, there was an ID there. Since I had time that day, and the address was not that far, I took the bus for 20 minutes and got off near the address. I knew in what city part the street was located, but not exactly. It was long before everyone carried a mobile phone with navigation. So I asked a stranger at the bus stop when I got off, with directions for that specific address (street and house number). He was quite surprised why I want to go there and wanted to know what business I have there. I told him about the wallet. He was genuinely surprised as he answered that he lives on that address (it was a single family home). I took the ID out and he recognized his sister. He even showed me his own ID with the same address (I did not ask him to). He thanked me and asked if I want something for bringing the wallet all the way from downtown. I jokingly said that I want a specific snack (which I knew cannot be obtained there), but I did not mean it, we had a laugh and I took the bus back to the city. Was a funny experience.

[@ahotdj07]

@planck olive bruh because I didn’t want his money especially knowing he was a man of the cloth.

[@ProffesionalPigeon]

I believe the fact that someone actually reported the lost wallet to the participants could influence their desire to return it. A wallet found on the ground would be much more tempting to steal rather then one handed in by a good Samaritan.

[@luthfinashi5558]

Ah, the beauty of psychology. Close to impossible to falsify the theory, can easily explain both a behavior and its reverse.

[@internetandlifehacks]

"Seeing yourself as an honest person can motivate you to be an honest person". Yes!

[@sagegg5018]

İ have a similar experience. My friends and i found a huge error in our local vending machine.Not gonna explain it a lot , you could buy anything the price of the first 4 item cuz the vending machine was cheap and had diffuculties reading the number 0 (you could buy chocolate bars the pize of bottled water , etc.)we tried this in small items like m&m's , we never tried this in expensive items because 1.we would feel like thieves(we already were but we would feel worse if we did it on sunscreen etc) 2.fear of getting caught So basically when the money is little , it feel less like stealing , and if you get a loaded wallet you would feel like that too.

[@catdogmousecheese]

Personally, I wouldn't feel any guilt stealing from a vending machine. First, those machines are owned by multi-national corporations that won't go bankrupt over a bag of Doritos. Second, so many of those machines have stolen my money by either not giving me my change; not dispensing my bag of chips but still taking my money; or taking my money and trying to dispense my chips only for the bag to get stuck where I can't reach it that I see it as just getting what I'm owed.

[@GabrielWJensen]

It's called a "Vending Machine" Einstein. Not Wending.

[@sagegg5018]

@@GabrielWJensen bro english is not my main language why the aggression

[@GabrielWJensen]

@@sagegg5018 Maybe you should go shopping at Wictoria's Secret in Las Wegas?

[@sagegg5018]

@@catdogmousecheese yeah it was mostly the fear of getting caught that stopped us lol when you steal from a big company you dont feel stealing as well cuz they dont really care

[@trefod]

Researchers fail to grasp the fundamentals here. We return wallets and other lost items because we know it will bring happiness to somebody in an otherwise bleak world. The more percieved value there is in the wallet, the more expected happiness we hope to grant another person. That joy is the reward we get for showing some empathy and it is always worth more than the sum in the wallet.

[@pianissimo5951]

0:38 wadaya meen, i'm not the frickin reception guy?

[@paulmarynissen]

I found a wallet partially buried at the outlet of a stormwater drain. It contained several hundred dollars and identifying documents. It appeared to have been there for a long period of time. I managed to return it that afternoon, much to the surprise of the owner. A few people afterwards asked if I had considered keeping the cash and to be perfectly honest, it had never crossed my mind. I just thought of how I’d feel if I had lost the wallet.

[@mariusmlster3450]

I think one of the reasons as to why the wallets with larger amounts of cash being returned more often, is because people might think they will be rewarded better by the wallets owner. I have returned lost items a couple of times, and based on that, i have been rewarded the most when returning more expensive items (note that the owners have decided to do this without me asking for it), and is thereby more likely to return that rather than something unimportant or inexpensive. That's how I would interpret the result at least...

[@emdee7744]

I actually have returned TWO wallets. Thru the cops ONCE (they were total a-holes about it). The 2nd time, I tracked down the owner myself and returned it to him.

[@AfroSamurai1089]

I've had a wallet returned without any the other person expecting a reward. So I would want to pay that gesture forward if I ever stumble upon a wallet.

[@davidj8658]

I’m always stunned that there are people who wouldn’t.

[@KnightsofGaming2016]

I'd definitely return the wallet or at least try to return it myself. If I can't, I'd send it to the authorities

[@Mikdeelow]

I returned a wallet which I observed to fall from the bed of a pickup leaving a gas station once. I know there was cash inside, but why would I count the money? The owner was a fire fighter, do I called his station to report the find. It was an hour+ away. When he picked up his wallet, owner tried to reward me. I told him no, my reward was doing the right thing. Live long and prosper!

[@zoeydeu2261]

At my local carpark, I found a lost wallet, but couldn't contact the owner (driver's license showed he's from interstate & there was no phone number in wallet), so took the wallet to the police station to get them to find the owner. Was a little frustrating because they made me do a police report to make sure I wasn't the one who stole the person's wallet 🙄. It had money in it - dunno how much because I didn't count it - so the cops weren't being logical.

[@gregoryashton]

I once lost my wallet at a motorbike show at the NEC in Birmingham when I was a teenager. There was 40 quid in it too. I managed to get everything sent back to my address with all the money in. Since then, I have ensured every wallet or mobile phone I have ever found has been returned to its owner with all the money in. The feeling of well-being after doing so was worth way more than a little cash

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

If I saw a quid on the ground I'd kill it.

[@cliors200]

Could it be that since the participants were in hotel reception there were cameras on them so that's why they were more inclined to give back the wallet?

[@i_like-planes]

In the book "Predictably irrational", the author wrote that when cash is involved, people are less likely to steal. For example you'd probably not take cash from your workplace, but you might take a red pen worth similar value home if your child has a drawing assignment and needs a red pen.

[@birdnird]

As a graduate student I had to proctor undergraduate exams, and students had to show their IDs to hand in their exam papers. More than a few wallets got left behind. I wanted to play a prank and put * extra * money in a wallet that had very little, like a $20 bill that I had on me, and my fellow starving grad students looked at me like I had grown an extra head. My motivation was, the owner of the wallet would always wonder where that extra money came from. At least I would imagine that, and giggle

[@Dratini266]

But the participants WERE being watched. The entire exchange would have been recorded on security footage and the employees would have been held accountable had the owner of the wallet or the passerby returned. Obviously people in a work setting are going to be more responsible than if they found it on the ground outside while alone.

[@scottabc72]

Possibly, but unhappy employees might be even less likely to be honest at their jobs. I know other people that have had wallets returned with all contents, I had a phone returned to me and I personally was able to return a wallet to a guy after calling an employers number on a card inside. All of these were with possessions that had been lost outside.

[@AaronShenghao]

I lost my wallet, not losing a lot of money but there was important document in it. In less than 10 minutes since I lost it, I retraced my steps and looked everywhere for it. It’s gone and I lost my opportunity to change my life, leaving the country and potential job opportunities in the process. Worse, because I delayed my flight to look for it, I missed to see my grandpa for the last time, which was the reason why I was in a hurry and lost the wallet in the first place.

[@bmilano1580]

It is true! And a bit selfish to be honest. I love giving lost money back because each good deed would improve my social image. That worths a lot too!

[@MrSilami]

Not just your social image, it heightens your self esteem. This video and research shows a fundamental lack of understanding of what being selfish is. Returning the wallet, so you heighten your self esteem, don’t feel guilty about being a thief, is completely in line with being truly self interested. Stealing and risking getting caught or confronted is not. Thieves aren’t being selfish, they’re just shortsighted.

[@TheAnon03]

Lost my wallet, was gutted. Someone I know got a call, turns out I had their business card in my wallet and someone had found it and given them a call. Ended up having it put through my letterbox, had all my money in it and everything.

[@uugie.8469]

This is actually a pretty interesting topic. 2 years ago while walking to my bus stop on a regular school day, I had come across a wallet on the ground in a parking lot directly below the spot of where the drivers seat door would be. I thought since it was specifically there that the person who had dropped it had parked there, dropped the wallet and left not knowing. I assumed they lived in the apartments since they had been parking there but instead of searching for the owner. I just straight pulled out the drivers license and facebooked him. The wallet was loaded with money, had debit and credit cards with multiple business cards and pictures. However, as curious as I was I counted the money and it was $90. He responded and I told him I would bring it to him the next school day morning. When I returned his wallet he actually gave me $40 bucks when I returned it which surprised me. Anyways I don’t think the amount of money or whether people were watching would have changed my mind about returning it.

[@CrypticCobra]

must be nice to think $90 is "loaded"

[@uugie.8469]

@@CrypticCobra $90 bucks is a good amount because do people really carry that much liquid cash

[@angc214]

My father was as honest as the day is long. He once found a purse with $500 in it. He looked up the address on the ID and drove an hour to that address to return it to the owner.

[@FedJimSmith]

I will almost 100% return the wallet every time, not because of the possible reasons mentioned in this video, but for thinking the possibility that I might be being filmed or studied.

[@lordgarion514]

Sooooo, what you're saying is, the main reason you're honest is because you're afraid of getting caught That's not good.

[@FedJimSmith]

@@lordgarion514 honestly speaking, yes, especially if it's known to me that the owner is so freakin' rich.

[@orangehatmusic225]

I have returned many lost wallets complete with people's money in it. The confused look they all share is priceless.

[@bullcompost]

The fact economists and scientists were so surprised by the result proves how their fields are dominated by a psychopathic culture. If I get given an empty wallet, how do I know the guy who dropped it didn't steal the money before? If I give it back and the owner claims I must have stolen their money, I'd be in trouble, so I guess fear should be weighted against the perception of loss by the owner of a money-less wallet. Probably not that much. If there's plenty of money in the wallet, It's a lot less likely any money has been stolen. The owner might have lost more and I am less likely to get in trouble by returning the wallet. Honest people are those who are always dealt the worse hand by a psychotic society, so honest people tend to be in the lower paying jobs. The economists, who work in a field built around deception and exploitation, are more likely to either be psychopaths or spend many hours a day around psychopaths in a psychopathic culture. We want to fix the problem of dishonesty? Let's stop rewarding dishonesty and reward honesty, instead. You'll see how society will change fast. Dishonesty, particularly among people in some sort of power, can lead to corruption and, in general, decisions made against the community's interests and needs. Any social problem is harder to solve if decisions are made without taking it into account. The only way to solve social problems goes through the eradication of corruption and other forms of dishonesty, through creating a new reward system that is fit for the social purpose. Basically, it's all up to honest people to build a new society deserving to be called "human". We can't expect the powerful to destroy a system tailor made for them and/or create a human society that would result in their previous system becoming obsolete. Remember: they are psychopaths who work for themselves and don't find it difficult to trample others and exploit them in the process.

[@brianheise]

A friend is priceless

[@Honeybee9630]

In this highly cynical society, nowadays, it's great to see this. Thanks Ted Ed!

[@reneastle8447]

It's always good to return wallets to their owners and authorities, it's a good way of being trustworthy.

[@mini696]

The variable you are forgetting is the person at the desk can't be bothered finding the owner of a near empty wallet.

[@blobby-the-blobfish]

I once found a two $10 notes while roller blading in the park. And I took it 😅 Well it didn't have a wallet or anything identifiable. Just 2 notes on the bare floor. No one in a 50m radius. Even those as far as the eye can see don't look like they are looking for something. In this case, yes I will just take it.

[@redsparks2025]

I got my lost wallet back in my mail box a day after I lost it. The money was gone but the cards (bank, credit, licence, etc) were there. I'm not disappointed. Cards are a nightmare to replace.

[@SunniDae333]

I remember when I dropped my wallet one time in Target. I had $114 and someone returned it with all the money still inside. I was so grateful... Not sure if that would have happened if I went to Walmart, though lol

[@dmeurer4951]

after browsing through so many channels. Yours is by far the best. The explaining thod is so great and detailed even complex stuff is