Around the world, people likelier to return wallets with more cash

This undated image released by the publication Science, shows a clear wallet and its contents used in a study of how people in 40 countries decided to return, or not, “lost” wallets. [AFP]

Does the amount of cash in a lost wallet impact how likely a person is to return it?

Classical economic theories suggest that the greater the temptation, the less likely we are to be honest -- but a new study turns the idea on its head, finding that altruism, and a powerful aversion to viewing oneself as a "thief," outweigh the financial incentives.