Subtle Reminders of Money Make People More Hardworking, But Less Helpful and Sociable An article recently published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, has implications for the Pro-social Behaviour section of the AQA-A A2 specification. It shows how even subtle reminders of money can influence behaviour. Money is a necessity: it provides us with material objects that are important for survival and for entertainment, and it is often used as a reward. But recent studies have shown that money is not only a device for gaining wealth, but a factor in personal performance, interpersonal relations and helping behaviour, as well.

Feeling powerless can trigger strong desires to purchase products that convey high status, according to new research in the Journal of Consumer Research.