Desperation and inequality increase stealing: evidence from experimental microsocieties

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Economics
• Social Psychology
• Criminology

Background:

• Material deprivation is linked to increased acquisitive crime.
• The rationale for engaging in crime despite potential negative consequences remains unclear.
• A 'desperation threshold' theory posits that individuals below a critical resource level may engage in riskier behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally investigate the link between material deprivation and acquisitive crime.
• To test the 'desperation threshold' theory's prediction of increased stealing below a resource level.
• To examine the impact of desperation and theft on social trust and sensitivity to punishment.

Main Methods:

• Development of a multi-round, multi-player economic game incorporating a desperation threshold and options for theft and cooperation.
• Conducting four experiments with 1000 UK and US adults.
• Analyzing the effects of resource levels on stealing behavior, trust, and punishment sensitivity.

Main Results:

• Participants falling below the desperation threshold were more likely to steal, even with negative average payoffs.
• Higher proportions of players below the threshold led to decreased social trust, primarily due to experiences of theft.
• Contrary to some predictions, participants showed some sensitivity to the severity of punishment for theft.

Conclusions:

• Experimental evidence supports the 'desperation threshold' theory, linking material deprivation to increased stealing.
• The presence of individuals below a desperation threshold can significantly erode social trust within a community.
• While desperation increases theft, individuals remain somewhat responsive to deterrents like punishment severity.