Research: Thinking about money increases selfishness

I didn't have to go far to find an intriguing post in this week's Carnival of Personal Finance, hosted by Money and Values. Just the second one listed, actually.

Laura Young, host of "The Dragon Slayer's Guide to Life" blog, highlights some interesting research featured in the November Science magazine on "The Psychological Consequences of Money." A study conducted by a team from the University of Minnesota shows that just the thought of money tends to make folks more self-centered, selfish, and less willing to help others.

I feel like I've known this fact for years, especially being a sports fan. As the contracts for professional athletes and televising events have gotten bigger, so have the egos and self-centeredness of the players and league executives, across all sports. It's nice to see some solid scientific data to back it up.