Psychologist Paul K. Piff, from the University of California, Irvine, won the 2026 Ig Nobel Prize in Economics. The study that earned him this distinction is called "Higher Social Class Predicts Increased Unethical Behavior" and was originally published in 2012 in the journal PNAS.
The research concluded that drivers of more expensive and newer vehicles tend to disrespect other road users more. Specifically, these drivers cut off other vehicles more frequently.
The study also revealed that these same drivers are more likely to steal candy from children, although the article notes that this is probably "the least of our concerns" compared to the other anti-social behaviors identified.
ZAP has been following coverage of the Ig Nobel Prizes, which honor scientific research that first makes people laugh and then think.
