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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Sarah Lumley

Half of Brits have a naughty streak - but women are naughtier than men, study finds

Have you ever pinched cash from your child’s moneybox? Or put your dog poo bag in your neighbours’ bin as you walk past? Take this quiz to determine how “good” you really are.

It comes after research revealed women are naughtier than men, with females twice as likely to smuggle their own food into a cinema, pretend to be busy to get out of something, or pinch their child’s chocolate.

A study of 2,000 adults found 41 per cent of women admitted to often throwing something that could be recycled into the normal waste bin, compared to just 26 per cent of men.

A third owned up to keeping their head down to avoid an acquaintance they don’t really want to talk to, while just 17 per cent of males do the same.

And 13 per cent of women have dropped food on the floor but still served it to someone – something only seven per cent of guys would do.

Women are also more likely to not mention it when they get given too much change, claim to have not received a text or email after forgetting to reply, and pretend to be on the phone when walking past a charity collector.

They are also more likely to put recyclable items into the general waste bin (Tara Moore/Getty Images)

Men aren’t complete saints, though – they are more likely to shake up a fizzy drink before giving it to someone, or serve meat to a vegetarian as they have no other options.

However, despite their naughty streak, women are the most honest – with 64 per cent happy to confess to their “crimes”, compared to just 58 per cent of men.

And while 28 per cent of females feel guilty after doing something they shouldn’t, only 19 per cent of men feel the same way.

Andrew Denton, a spokesman for Best Western, which commissioned the research to launch its Booking Good campaign, said: “So it's official – women are naughty AND nice. They admit to doing more bad things than men, but they also feel more guilty.

“We think life would be boring if everyone was sensible, and it’s good to be individual and a little cheeky.

“However, it looks like women are the ones who want to put their wrongs right in search of some good karma. Good for you, girls.”

The study also found 49 per cent of adults have a naughty streak – with other common misdemeanours including claiming to have no signal when they don't really want to talk to someone on the phone, and pleading ignorance after spilling food or drink on items of clothing or home furnishing.

Others admitted to pinching a beer glass from a bar, and leaving the tiniest sliver of toilet paper on the roll after using it, so they wouldn’t be the one who has to change it.

But it seems to get more sensible with age, with Gen Z and Millennials twice as likely to do something mischievous than Gen X or Boomers.

Another common misdemeanour is leaving the last sheet of toilet paper on the roll, so you don't have to be the one to change it (Grace Cary/Getty Images)

Those in the younger group, aged 18-26, do something “naughty” more than three times a week on average, while 27-42 year-olds follow close behind with nearly the same number.

In comparison, this drops to only twice a week for Gen X adults, and just over once for Boomers.

However, younger adults are more guilt-riddled, with 26 per cent of 18-26-year-olds admitting to feeling this way when they do something they shouldn’t – while only 18 per cent of the older age group said the same.

The research, commissioned via OnePoll, also found 61 per cent of all adults will happily ‘fess up if they’ve done something cheeky.

And four in ten admitted they sometimes feel the need to do something good to make up for their mischievous behaviour – such as performing a good deed (57 per cent), or buying a gift (27 per cent).

Andrew Denton, from Best Western, added: “We all have little moments of weakness, where we have strayed a little from the path of perfection – but there is no better way to make up for it than doing a good deed.

“That’s why we commissioned this research – because what better way to make up for a little indiscretion than to know you can make a hotel booking that supports Britain’s unique local and independent businesses and communities, and make you feel instantly good again.”

THE TOP 50 INDISCRETIONS:

  1. Smuggled your own food or drink into the cinema
  2. Put something recyclable into the normal waste bin
  3. Pretended to be busy to get out of doing something
  4. Told a lie to get out of trouble
  5. Kept your head down or pretended to be on your phone when seeing an acquaintance in a shop that you don’t really want to talk to
  6. Spent longer in the toilet than you needed to, to get some extra peace and quiet
  7. Not mentioned it when you are given too much change
  8. Taken a beer glass from a pub or bar
  9. Given something a “quick rinse” instead of washing up
  10. Pretended to throw a ball for a dog, then watched it run off chasing nothing
  11. Found something on the floor and kept it rather than handing it in
  12. Claimed not to have received someone's text or email when you forgot to get back to them
  13. Broken wind and blamed it on someone else, or a dog
  14. Pretended to be busy or on your phone when walking past a charity collector
  15. Pretended your signal is bad when you didn't want to talk to someone
  16. Broken something and not owned up to it, or blamed it on someone else
  17. Left a tiny sheet of toilet paper on a roll so you don’t have to be the one to change it
  18. Pulled a sickie at work to get out of doing something you didn't want to do
  19. Changed your email to get multiple free trials/new customer discounts
  20. Put your rubbish in your neighbour's bin because yours was full
  21. Hidden something new you have bought, or pretended you've had it for ages
  22. Pinched your child's Easter or Christmas chocolate
  23. Been sent duplicate items from an online retailer by mistake, and not returned one
  24. Left empty or nearly-empty cartons or bottles in the fridge/cupboards
  25. Pinched food off someone's plate while they weren't looking
  26. Told your partner something was in the sale/reduced when you bought something new
  27. Dropped food on the floor and served it to someone
  28. Borrowed something from a friend or relative and “forgotten” to give it back
  29. Pretended to be asleep when your child woke up, so your partner got up
  30. Edited photos of yourself before putting them online
  31. Shook a fizzy drink before giving it to someone
  32. Looked at your phone at the dinner table when you have told your kids they shouldn't do this
  33. Watched ahead on a series you are meant to be watching with your partner
  34. Claimed your email was stuck in your Outbox when you simply forgot to do something
  35. Stuck chewing gum under the table
  36. Unfriended someone on social media, and then pretended it must have been a tech error when picked up on it
  37. Spilt something, and then pretended it wasn't you
  38. Parked in a parent/child space when you didn't have a child with you
  39. Pretended to be busy or asleep on public transport when someone needed a seat
  40. Tried to “act dumb” when you have bought the wrong train ticket
  41. Borrowed your siblings' clothes without asking them
  42. Faked a family emergency to get out of a bad date
  43. Flirted to get a freebie
  44. Pinched the 20p pieces out of your parents' change jar, as they come in handy for parking
  45. Swapped someone's nametag with yours if you don't like where you're seated at a wedding or function
  46. Made someone a bad cup of tea or coffee, so they don't ask you to do it again
  47. Pinched money from your child's piggy bank
  48. Taken someone else's food out of the office microwave to heat yours up instead
  49. Told your child the chocolate you're eating is medicine
  50. Served meat to a vegetarian and pretended it was meat-free, as you had nothing else to give them
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