Cute baby photos increase lost wallet return rates

Apparently having a picture of a baby in your wallet makes it more likely that it will be returned to you, according to an unscientific study performed in Edinburgh. The wallets had no money in them, but did have either a baby picture, puppy photograph, a family picture, an elderly couple or cards indicating donations to a charity. In addition to those, wallets with no photographs served as controls. Forty wallets were left in various locations and the return rates noted.



The chart shows that, at least according to these results, the baby picture resulted in the highest rate of return. Commentors on BoingBoing describe a good extension to this study in which wallets containing baby photographs of varying attractiveness and differing amounts of money could be used to better quantify the baby photo effect.

Now to get wallet size photos of cute baby Linus for my wallet protection and return system.

(via BoingBoing, via the Times online)