I read a lot of academic studies.  A lot.  Most teeter on the edge of uninteresting, a rare few are truly breakthrough that cause us to re-think our thinking.  None however, until now, read like a spoof article from The Onion.  The title of that study is, “Bullshit-sensitivity predicts prosocial behavior”.

I read the abstract and the first two pages still not sure if I was getting punked.  I’ll admit to having a soft spot for the profane and perhaps that’s why it’s featured today but there is also some value in the bullshit findings.  (See what I did there?)

As it turns out, bullshit has been studied by academics. They are Swedish academics and my wife, who’s half-Danish would tell you it’s not surprising the Swedes are studying bullshit.  But  I digress…

These academics have measured the degree to which people can detect pseudo-profound bullshit from truly profound statements.  However, this burgeoning (or not) field of bullshit research hadn’t looked at any linkages to behavior– until now.

Fortunately for The Agitator the academics elected to look at bullshit messages and their impact on prosocial behavior – i.e. volunteering and giving.

Therefore this is #fundraising appropriate.

The study’s participants read 14 statements (7 Bullshit, 7 Profound) with a sampling below.  Participants rated each on a Likert scale on how “meaningful and worth considering” each statement was.  In addition, participants indicated if they had given to a charity in the past year along with a host of demographic data.

And then,  in a novel, experimental twist,  participants were told they could continue to answer a few more questions (after they’d finished the bullshit ratings) or stop.  But, if they elected to keep going a donation would be made to a charity of their choice.

Bullshit sentences

• The hidden meaning transforms the abstract beauty
• The future elucidates irrational facts for the seeking person.
• Health and tolerance provide creativity for the future
• Your movement transforms universal observations

Genuinely profound sentences

• A river cuts through a rock, not because of its power but its persistence.
• You are not only responsible for the things you say, but also for the things you do not say.
• We have others’ flaws before our eyes, but our own flaws behind our back.
• The person who never made a mistake never tried something new

What did the researchers find?

People who were unable to distinguish bullshit from non-bullshit were less likely to donate.

On the flip side, people who were able to discern bullshit from non-bullshit were more likely to give. And this was after controlling for cognitive ability, education, religiosity, age and time spent on the survey.  In other words, there are just some people, independent of their smarts or demographic profile,  that are better at smelling out bullshit.

Implications?

Not sure but I did get to type ‘bullshit” a lot.  On a slightly more serious note:  abstract, obtuse, jargon-filled gobbledegook that likely reads a lot like “the future elucidates irrational facts for the seeking person” is probably setting off some bullshit meters for the folks that are more likely to engage in prosocial behavior.

This study didn’t specifically examine if being exposed to bullshit suppresses response but it’s probably a safe bet that it sure doesn’t help.

Kevin