ABRACADABRA
Britons: Number numbs!
From a nation of clever book-keepers to a nation of "barely numerates" who struggle to make sense of their payslips, comprehend long telephone numbers or train time-tables. Welcome to modern Britain.
Until now, the problem was thought to be limited to schoolchildren but, according to a major new study, half of adult Britons have the numeracy skills of a primary schoolchild. Poor numeracy is so widespread that, experts say it is ruining people’s lives with many not able to get jobs because they cannot read graphs or do calculations. The study shows that some 49 per cent Britain’s working-age population is "numeracy-challenged", an increase of two million since a similar study was done in 2003.
"At best these people have the maths ability of an 11-year-old, but for many it’s like a nine-year-old. They can’t understand deductions on their payslips; they can’t calculate the change they give and receive. It’s a very basic weakness that can impact on normal family life and employment," said Chris Humphries, Chairman of National Numeracy, the charity behind the study. But far from being embarrassed, many Britons are said to regard their lack of interest in numbers as a "badge of honour". It is fashionable to say "I can’t do maths". Mr. Humphries called it "a peculiarly British disease" as business leaders warned that it was "blighting" the economy and affecting its international competitiveness.
Until now, the problem was thought to be limited to schoolchildren but, according to a major new study, half of adult Britons have the numeracy skills of a primary schoolchild. Poor numeracy is so widespread that, experts say it is ruining people’s lives with many not able to get jobs because they cannot read graphs or do calculations. The study shows that some 49 per cent Britain’s working-age population is "numeracy-challenged", an increase of two million since a similar study was done in 2003.
"At best these people have the maths ability of an 11-year-old, but for many it’s like a nine-year-old. They can’t understand deductions on their payslips; they can’t calculate the change they give and receive. It’s a very basic weakness that can impact on normal family life and employment," said Chris Humphries, Chairman of National Numeracy, the charity behind the study. But far from being embarrassed, many Britons are said to regard their lack of interest in numbers as a "badge of honour". It is fashionable to say "I can’t do maths". Mr. Humphries called it "a peculiarly British disease" as business leaders warned that it was "blighting" the economy and affecting its international competitiveness.
Wealthy class more likely to lie and cheat: Study
Washington: They may be the more respectable and upstanding members of society, but the rich are also more likely to lie, cheat and engage in other kinds of unethical activities than those in lower classes, claims a new study.
But these findings, published in the journal proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, do not mean that everyone of high status behaves unethically, nor that everyone in lower society behaves ethically, scientists cautioned.
"We’re not saying that if you’re rich, you’re necessarily unethical, and that if you’re poor, you’re necessary ethical, there are lots of instances of increased ethical conduct among upper-class individuals," study researcher Paul Piff, a social psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley, was quoted.
However, the researchers suggested that the rich’s view of the world may be clouded by self-absorption and greed. As a result, they have fewer scruples than those who have less money to burn.
They came to the conclusion after a series of experiments examining social class and ethics. The first two took place in the street, with motorists secretly being observed as they crossed a busy junction and approached pedestrian crossings.
Those in the flashiest cars, assumed to be wealthy ones, were four times as likely as those in old bangers to cut up other vehicles by barging their way across the junction, the researchers found.
In a series of lab tests that included undergraduates at Berkeley and national online samples of adults, those who considered themselves upper class were found to have greater tendencies to make unethical decisions. This included unrightfully stealing something, lying in a negotiation, cheating at a game of chance to boost their chances of winning cash for endorsing unethical behaviour at work, such as stealing cash, receiving bribes and overcharging customers.
"I was surprised at the consistency and strength of all these effects – upper-class individuals often acted unethically three to four times more often than lower-class individuals," Piff said.
Another lab experiment revealed that unethical behaviour was not necessarily inherent to individuals. The researchers had volunteers compare themselves with people with the most or least money, education and respected jobs, thereby subtly putting them into the mindset of someone with a relatively low or high socioeconomic status.
Greed was found to be the driving force. When poorer volunteers were asked to think of ways greed could be beneficial before taking part in the experiment, they acted just as unethically as the wealthy.
"If you take lower socioeconomic status people and just change their social values very subtly, they’ll act just as unethically as upper-class individuals," Piff said.
"The patterns of behaviour naturally arise from increased wealth and status compared to others."
Other studies have shown that upper-class individuals are often less cognisant of others, worse at identifying the emotions others feel, less generous and altruistic, and more disengaged socially.
Such research might support these new findings – it may be easier to act unethically toward others if you are not thinking about how they feel, Piff added.
But these findings, published in the journal proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, do not mean that everyone of high status behaves unethically, nor that everyone in lower society behaves ethically, scientists cautioned.
"We’re not saying that if you’re rich, you’re necessarily unethical, and that if you’re poor, you’re necessary ethical, there are lots of instances of increased ethical conduct among upper-class individuals," study researcher Paul Piff, a social psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley, was quoted.
However, the researchers suggested that the rich’s view of the world may be clouded by self-absorption and greed. As a result, they have fewer scruples than those who have less money to burn.
They came to the conclusion after a series of experiments examining social class and ethics. The first two took place in the street, with motorists secretly being observed as they crossed a busy junction and approached pedestrian crossings.
Those in the flashiest cars, assumed to be wealthy ones, were four times as likely as those in old bangers to cut up other vehicles by barging their way across the junction, the researchers found.
In a series of lab tests that included undergraduates at Berkeley and national online samples of adults, those who considered themselves upper class were found to have greater tendencies to make unethical decisions. This included unrightfully stealing something, lying in a negotiation, cheating at a game of chance to boost their chances of winning cash for endorsing unethical behaviour at work, such as stealing cash, receiving bribes and overcharging customers.
"I was surprised at the consistency and strength of all these effects – upper-class individuals often acted unethically three to four times more often than lower-class individuals," Piff said.
Another lab experiment revealed that unethical behaviour was not necessarily inherent to individuals. The researchers had volunteers compare themselves with people with the most or least money, education and respected jobs, thereby subtly putting them into the mindset of someone with a relatively low or high socioeconomic status.
Greed was found to be the driving force. When poorer volunteers were asked to think of ways greed could be beneficial before taking part in the experiment, they acted just as unethically as the wealthy.
"If you take lower socioeconomic status people and just change their social values very subtly, they’ll act just as unethically as upper-class individuals," Piff said.
"The patterns of behaviour naturally arise from increased wealth and status compared to others."
Other studies have shown that upper-class individuals are often less cognisant of others, worse at identifying the emotions others feel, less generous and altruistic, and more disengaged socially.
Such research might support these new findings – it may be easier to act unethically toward others if you are not thinking about how they feel, Piff added.
Boy genius went to college at age 8
Los Angeles: The one thing 14-year-old Moshe Kai Cavalin dislikes is being called a genius. All he did, after all, was enroll in college at age 8 and earn his first of two Associate of Arts degrees from East Los Angeles Community College at age 9, graduating with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Now, at 14, he’s poised to graduate from UCLA this year. He’s also just published an English edition of his first book, "We Can Do". The 100-page guideline explains how other young people can accomplish what Cavalin did through such simple acts as keeping themselves focused and approaching everything with total commitment.
Assistant engineer & crores
Raipur: If the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials here are to be believed, an assistant engineer employed with the water resources department in Chhattisgarh has assets worth Rs 7 crore.
"The ACB sleuths raided two locations – Raipur and Baloda Bazar town – of the assistant engineer Purshotam Agarwal and seized several documents", D M Awasthi, Additional Director General (ACB), told reporters here.
"We are analysing the documents and so far we found that the official has amassed assets not less than Rs 7 crore (Rs 70 million)," said Awasthi.
He stated that the exact amount, earned through disproportionate sources of income, may go higher once the ACB completes the analysis of all documents seized in raids.
Awasthi said the engineer had invested the most of his money on land purchase and bungalows in prime locations in Raipur and Baloda Bazar town, some 100km from here.
"The ACB sleuths raided two locations – Raipur and Baloda Bazar town – of the assistant engineer Purshotam Agarwal and seized several documents", D M Awasthi, Additional Director General (ACB), told reporters here.
"We are analysing the documents and so far we found that the official has amassed assets not less than Rs 7 crore (Rs 70 million)," said Awasthi.
He stated that the exact amount, earned through disproportionate sources of income, may go higher once the ACB completes the analysis of all documents seized in raids.
Awasthi said the engineer had invested the most of his money on land purchase and bungalows in prime locations in Raipur and Baloda Bazar town, some 100km from here.
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