Rebel without a Cause: The Effects of Social Origins and Disposable Income on Rule Violations.

This article investigates the relationship between social class and rule-violating behavior by distinguishing two components of social class: economic resources (disposable income) and psychological background (social origins, proxied by parental household income). Using data from a cohort of 750 Swiss young adults, the study compares self-reported rule violations and behaviorally measured rule violations via an incentivized dice game. Findings indicate that disposable income alone is associated with fewer self-reported rule violations, but social origins alone do not predict rule violations. Notably, an interaction effect reveals that among individuals with upper social origins, higher disposable income correlates with increased rule violations and greater moral flexibility, whereas this pattern is not observed for those with lower social origins. The study highlights the complexity of social class effects on unethical behavior and suggests that economic and psychological aspects of class interact to influence rule-violating conduct.