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