People prone to lie, cheat and steal after buying green

Buying green may help save the planet, but a new study suggests it might also make you more prone to cheat, steal, and be selfish.

Those are the findings of two University of Toronto researchers.

In a paper to be published in the journal Psychological Science, Nina Mazar and Chen-Bo Zhong found that students who made eco-friendly purchases online were less likely to act altruistically.

In one test students were asked to share six dollars. Those who made green purchases shared less than those who bought regular items.

Mazar, a marketing professor, says the study builds on research that shows when people do things that give them a “warm glow,” they’re more likely to transgress.

She’s quick to add, however, that it doesn’t mean people should stop buying green.

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