That is where the Indian sugar cane farmers came in. They earn most of their money once a year, when the harvest comes in. But the money often does not last through the year.
“So they find themselves basically rich after the harvest when the income comes in and poor just before the harvest.”
The researchers gave them tests similar to the ones taken by the people in New Jersey. They tested the Indian farmers before the harvest and after.
And the results were much the same as with the mall shoppers.
“They performed much more slowly and with many more errors when they were poorer than when they were richer.”
Mr. Shafir says the results support 50 years of research that shows all humans have a limited amount of mental power to deal with the business of life.
For example, an earlier study tested people with chocolate. It found that individuals who resisted the desire for chocolate were not as strong afterward. They had more difficulty controlling their emotions or performing difficult mental tasks than people who had not resisted.
And struggling to pay the bills has a similar effect, Mr. Shafir says.
“And so the insight here is that, experiencing scarcity, having not enough of something in a way that weighs on your mind leaves less for everything else.”
I'm Jim Tedder.
You are listening to As It Is from VOA Learning English.
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2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25
2013-11-25