London: The metaphors such as the `moral high ground` do really exist, say scientists as they found that people become more generous, compassionate and helpful when they are physically higher than others.
The link between height and morality may sound unlikely, but researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that the association affects how people behave when they become physically or mentally elevated.
In the first of a series of bizarre experiments, the researchers led by Lawrence Sanna found that commuters gave more money to a charity collector at the top of an escalator than one at the bottom.
In another, volunteers were found to be more generous with their time if standing on a higher spot than others.
And in a third, people were less likely to inflict punishment on another person if they had just ascended steps -- and were crueller if they had gone down stairs, the Daily Mail reported.
People talk about putting other people on pedestals, looking up to those they admire or taking the moral high ground.
They also talk about sinking to new depths, scraping the barrel and looking down on people.
Dr Sanna believes that the use of metaphors linking height with good behaviour affects how people behave in real life.
Speaking about the escalator experiment, Dr Sanna told New Scientist magazine: "Shoppers who rode up the escalator contributed more often than those who rode down.
"Experiencing elevated physical height increased the virtuous act of making real charitable contributions."
In another experiment, about 60 volunteers were asked to allocate an amount of hot chili sauce to be eaten by a fictitious stranger whom they were told disliked hot food.
Those who had been taken up to a stage dished out less than half the amount than those who had been taken down to an orchestra pit.
The findings don`t just have implications for charities, said the researchers. It is thought that bosses might boost the helpfulness of their staff by holding meetings on the top floor of an office block -- and that people should invite friends upstairs before asking for a favour.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.