Failure to replicate moral licensing and moral cleansing in an online experiment. (15th July 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rotella, Amanda; Barclay, Pat
• Is Part Of: Personality and individual differences. Volume 161(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-07-15
• Subjects: Moral licensing -- Moral balancing -- Moral cleansing -- Moral compensation -- Social value orientation; Personality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Individuality -- Periodicals; Personality Development -- Periodicals; Personnalité -- Périodiques; Individualité -- Périodiques; 155.205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2020.109967
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0191-8869

Abstract

Highlights: Failed conceptual replication of moral licensing and cleansing in an online study. Recalling past good/bad behaviours increased feeling cooperative and uncooperative. Social value orientation (SVO) predicted charity donations. Susceptibility to moral licensing or cleansing did not differ according to SVO. Abstract: Moral licensing occurs when someone who initially behaved morally or cooperatively, later behaves less morally, as if they had a "license" to act badly. On the flipside, moral cleansing occurs when someone first behaves immorally, which prompts them to later behaves more morally. To-date, few studies have investigated individual differences in the moral licensing and cleansing effects. This paper bridges this gap by investigating how cooperative preferences, as measured by social value orientation (SVO), influence engagement in these effects. We hypothesized that prosocial participants would be less likely to license, but more likely to cleanse. Contrary to predictions, we did not replicate the moral licensing or moral cleansing effects, and cooperative preferences did not influence engagement in the effect. However, checks suggest that our manipulations were successful. We postulate that licensing and cleansing effects are unlikely to be elicited online.