The idea of free candy gets burned into our minds early in childhood. We all learn of that one wondrous holiday when we could dress up in weird costumes and terrify our neighbors into giving us treats. When we grow up, we’re told not to expect the same kind of free handouts in the real world, but there’s one place where this lives on: the office candy dish.

Julie’s Health Club over at the Chicago Tribune has done a brief psychological study of those who partake in free office candy. There are “takers” (those who pick up a few pieces of candy but never refill it) and there are “givers” (those who choose to refill the dish or jar without taking any themselves). And it seems that human beings are predictable when it comes to candy, choosing their treats via brand (the one who only takes Reese’s Mini-cups) or number (the one who never takes more than two at a time when they pass by the dish). It’s kind of like a watering hole in the African savanna: an entire cross-section of office workers gather around this jar on specific days of the week, and it’s the easiest area to study all of them at once.

Just as surprising as the taker’s mentality is the giver’s mentality. Apparently you can tell a lot about a person by what kind of jar they use to place the candy in and where the jar is placed.

3. The Out of Reach candy jar.

This jar is inaccessible unless you move a chair. It’s taunting because there is never any hope of getting any candy. She seems like she wants to share, but doesn’t put it in a place where people can dart in, steal, and get out quickly.

I’m kind of reminded of The Office episode where Dwight sticks his entire hand in the candy jar and rummages around for black jelly beans. Once he leaves, Pam is so grossed out by this that she empties the entire jar into the trash. Any other weird or surprising occurrences around the office candy dish where you work?

• Julie’s Health Club

candy, sweets, The Office, office, jar, jars