Why It Pays To Be Nice

newsweek.com:

Anyone who has been too scared to sell a falling stock ("But I'll lose money!") or too insulted to accept $3 from someone who intends to keep the other $7 in free money handed out in an experiment ("Why should he get so much more than me?" players of the Ultimatum Game think time and again) knows that emotions play a role in our financial decisions.

Often that's to our detriment, as the burgeoning field of neuroeconomics shows. In at least one case, however, letting emotions guide us pays off for all concerned, an intriguing new study concludes--and may explain the "pay it forward" phenomenon, in which being the beneficiary of a kind or generous deed inspires you to act that way toward a third person.

Read the whole story: newsweek.com

Comments

[KIVPossum]

02:24 AM on 09/14/2009

I can't but into this. American society is set up such that you have to screw someone to rise. The nicest people rarely make it to the top because they are unwilling to step on someone to make a buck.

[FemiMommy]

04:07 PM on 09/14/2009

It depends on how you define "to the top". The top of what?

[NoSillyName]

12:23 PM on 09/13/2009

I've got no money, but I'm very nice.