FOR some, graffiti is at the cutting edge of art, but could it also trigger petty crime? A Candid Camera-style study shows that when we are confronted with signs of behaviour usually deemed antisocial, such as graffiti or litter, we’re more likely to behave antisocially ourselves.
Kee Keizer and his colleagues at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands set up situations that aimed to lure passers-by into dropping litter, stealing or trespassing, and secretly watched what they did. They rigged up each test twice: once with graffiti, litter or other signs of antisocial behaviour, and once without.
They…
