Bad times can make people bad. That is the simple truth.  People show different levels of nasty traits.  These traits include selfishness and even psychopathy.  It is a fact that how bad a society is can affect how bad the people in that society are.

The study looked at many places.  It looked at 183 countries and 50 US states.  It found that nasty societies make nasty people.  Nasty societies have high levels of corruption, inequality, poverty, and violence.  These factors shape people's personalities.  They make people more selfish and more likely to show bad behavior.

So, what makes a society nasty?  It is a mix of things.  Corruption is when people in power do bad things for personal gain.  Inequality is when some people have much more than others.  Poverty is when people do not have enough to live a good life.  Violence is when people use force to harm others.  These things make a society nasty.  And nasty societies make nasty people.

But why does this happen?  It is because people learn from their surroundings.  If a person grows up in a nasty society, they learn to be nasty.  They see corruption, inequality, poverty, and violence.  They think it is normal.  They start to act the same way.  This is how nasty societies make nasty people.

So, what can be done?  It is simple.  Make societies better.  Reduce corruption, inequality, poverty, and violence.  This will make people better.  It will make them less selfish and less likely to show bad behavior.  It is a simple truth.  Bad times make bad people.  But good times can make good people.

How Bad Times Shape Bad Behavior

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