Individual differences in guilt proneness affect how people respond to moral tradeoffs between harm avoidance and obedience to authority. (February 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ent, Michael R.; Baumeister, Roy F.
• Is Part Of: Personality and individual differences. Volume 74(2015)
• Page Start: 231
• Page End: 234
• Publication Date: 2015-02
• Subjects: Guilt proneness -- Morality -- Decision making; Personality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Personality Development -- Periodicals; Personnalité -- Périodiques; Individualité -- Périodiques; 155.205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2014.10.035
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0191-8869

Abstract

Highlights: We studied guilt proneness and moral tradeoffs. Guilt proneness was positively related to valuing harm avoidance (versus obedience). The research highlights the role of guilt proneness in moral decision making. Abstract: High guilt proneness was associated with valuing harm avoidance more than obedience to authority on questionnaires (Study 1). Results from a laboratory study suggest that people high in guilt proneness, but not those low in guilt proneness, disobeyed an experimenter to prevent a confederate from suffering through an unpleasant task (Study 2). The present research highlights the role of guilt proneness in moral decision making.