Study of "honesty" by country

[True Blue]

FWIW - Some interesting research experiment results. The results certainly differ from what I'm used to as my wife and Chinese friends are brutally honest saying things to me like "you have become very fat lately" where Westerners would say something like "you are looking good" even if I had put on 5 pounds.

 

http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/1879850/chinese-most-dishonest-japanese-and-british-least-study-finds

 

On my travels to China I was generally amazed how honest Chinese people are compared to Americans. Though dealing with 4 and 5 star hotels might make a difference.

 

What is your experience? Especially for those who live in China and do business/interact with local mom and pop stores and businesses? Is it a matter of whether someone is "watching"?

 

 

TB

[Greg.D.]

Not surprised. When it comes to self-reporting in a competitive environment, I would predict most Chinese would get creative.

 

Personally, I would not trust anybody from China that I did not know. I have seen too much cheating, lying and forging by them both here in the U.S. and in China (work-related). I don't trust grade transcripts and I don't trust research from China. But, I love China! And, the people I know there, I trust.

[Randy W]

Why not set out a candy dish and tell people to "take only one"? A better way to judge character might be, when you have trouble counting out the correct amount, to show them a wad of bills and let them choose what they need. Or to see how many stores close overnight simply by hanging a tarp over their merchandise or entrance.

 

I don't really disagree with what's being said here, but it's hard to really come to any conclusion from an artificial test of "character".

[Greg.D.]

My fiancé ( who is passing through immigration right now ) said a recent discussion in her office was about what fools Westerners are for trusting people. And, I don't mean we are "loveable fools", but fools deserving of getting the raw end of a deal for being so naïve.

 

Having said that, I don't judge them harshly by my society's values. But, by their standards, "that's life". I just know that is how things are done there and everybody knows that. That's why I say that, given the opportunity to self-report or declare something, most Chinese people will do it the Chinese way. I do take exception to scientists there who have studied abroad and know the rules but go back to China and generate research papers with fraudulent results.

[johnxiaoying]

I've had the opinion that Chinese vendors just consider themselves smarter than their customer if they get one up on you. It's simply a case of let the buyer beware.

[tsap seui]

China, and it's people... is what it is. I've got no complaints, and I live a very happy life.

Edited November 21, 2015 by tsap seui (see edit history)