Developmental Origins of Strategic Moral Self-Licensing
Date
2013
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Producer
Director
Performer
Choreographer
Costume Designer
Music
Videographer
Lighting Designer
Set Designer
Crew Member
Funder
Rehearsal Director
Concert Coordinator
Advisor
Moderator
Panelist
Alternative Title
Department
Haverford College. Department of Psychology
Type
Thesis
Original Format
Running Time
File Format
Place of Publication
Date Span
Copyright Date
Award
Language
eng
Note
Table of Contents
Terms of Use
Rights Holder
Access Restrictions
Haverford users only
Terms of Use
Tripod URL
Identifier
Abstract
This study seeks to determine the developmental origins of strategic moral self-licensing, which is the process of planning to use past moral behavior in order to license oneself to partake in future immoral behavior. An empirical study was conducted to investigate whether preschoolers, after given the opportunity to demonstrate moral behavior through a helping task, will engage in morally consistent behavior or strategic moral self-licensing behavior. Results did not show evidence of preschoolers engaging in strategic moral-self licensing, but instead suggested moral consistency. With this said, the current study provided another stepping stone to understand the mechanism behind moral decision making in both children and adults. The limitations of this study and also implications for future studies are discussed, in addition to suggesting that the tendency to practice strategic moral self-licensing develops in a later stage of one’s life.