A lot of different questions are of interest to psychologists. For instance, which professions are the most honest? According to Gallop survey the most trustful are priests. 59% of people consider them to be honest-minded. The least honest are considered car shop assistants. Only 5% of respondents trust them.

However, which professions deserve trust in reality? Are auto show workers so unprincipled and church attendants so moral? This question was of big interest to Professor Richard Wiseman and he made an experiment to check the truth of this stereotype.

At first Professor got addresses list of representatives for both professions. Then he invented a fictitious furniture company and on behalf of the company sent out letters. In envelopes were letter in which the company was thanking for recent purchase (which actually didn’t take place) and a rebate-check for $20.

The point was that Mr. Wiseman could check whether rebate-checks were cashed.

How many car sellers were doubly and cashed checks? A half of them. But almost 50% of clergy acted the very same way. So, according to Professor, priests must be trust not a bit more then car shop assistants.

via – Quirkology: How We Discover the Big Truths in Small Things by Richard Wiseman

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