Rich people more unethical, likely to cheat and steal, study finds

Rich people are more unethical and likely to cheat, break the law or plain behave badly towards other people, a new study has found.
It may involve cutting off other motorists, lying in a negotiation, cheating to win a prize or even stealing candy from children, but researchers found that wealthier people are more apt to behave unethically than those who had less money.
The study contradicted the notion that poor people are more likely to act unethically out of financial necessity.
Instead, the researchers wrote the "relative independence" and "increased privacy" of the wealthy make them more likely to act unethically.
Poorer people by contrast may be less likely to cheat, because they are more dependent on their community.
Researcher Paul Piff said:" "We found that it is much more prevalent for people in the higher ranks of society to see greed and self-interest … as good pursuits. Elevated wealth status seems to make you want even more, and that increased want leads you to bend the rules or break the rules to serve your self-interest. This doesn't mean that every rich person will behave less ethically than any less-rich person... But we found a tendency.”
Piff said the results obviously did not apply to all wealthy people, noting the philanthropic contributions of Bill Gates and Warren Buffett.

Vocabulary expansion:

• unethical: not following the beliefs and principles about what is right and wrong
• apt: suitable or appropriate in the circumstances
• contrast: a clear difference between two or more people or things 
• prevalent: that exists or is very common at a particular time or in a particular place
• elevated: high in rank or position, higher than normal
• tendency: likely to behave or act in a particular way
• note: to mention something because it is important or interesting
• philanthropic: ~ philanthropy - the practice of helping the poor and those in need, especially by giving money