The Relationship Between Precipitation, Barometric Pressure, Temperature and Shoplifting
Introduction
Can hotter weather have an effect on negative human behaviour? Social psychology has long debating the heat hypothesis, saying that as temperatures rise, so do reports of criminal behaviour. Although scattered evidence suggests that a relationship may exist, it is a prolonged debate in which some research falsifies these claims, and some supports it (Anderson, 2001, p.33). This phenomenon has been observed long before the birth of Psychology as a science. Dating back to the 1500, even Shakespeare commented on such hypothesis: “I pray thee, good Mercuito, let’s retire; The day is hot, the Capulets abroad, And if we meet we shall not ‘scape a brawl, Forn now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring” (1595).