When moral identity undermines moral behavior: An integrative framework

Author(s):  
Tobias Krettenauer
2018 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blaine J. Fowers ◽  
Austen R. Anderson ◽  
Samantha F. Lang

AbstractDoris (2015b) develops a theory of moral agency to avoid a skeptical challenge arising from psychology studies indicating that (im)moral behavior is caused by trivial situational factors. His theory is flawed in attending only to situational influences on behavior and neglecting individual differences such as moral identity and virtue. A focus on individual differences in resilience to influence from trivial situational factors defangs the skeptical challenge and offers a better account of moral agency.


2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 646-658 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Light Shields ◽  
Christopher D. Funk ◽  
Brenda Light Bredemeier

Researchers have made productive use of Bandura’s (1991) construct of moral disengagement (MD) to help explain why sport participants deviate from ethical ideals. In this study of intercollegiate athletes from diverse sports (N = 713), we examined MD in relation to other character-related variables: empathy, moral identity, moral attentiveness, and contesting orientations. We also examined whether moral attentiveness conforms to the pattern of “bracketed morality” found in moral reasoning (Shields & Bredemeier, 1995) and moral behavior (Kavussanu, Boardley, Sagar, & Ring, 2013). Results indicated that MD correlated positively with perceptual moral attentiveness and war contesting orientation; MD correlated negatively with empathy, moral identity, reflective moral attentiveness, and partnership contesting orientation. Results of hierarchical regression demonstrated that gender, contesting orientations, moral identity, and one form of moral attentiveness were significant predictors of MD. Finally, sport participants were found to be less morally attentive in sport than in everyday life.


2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven G. Hertz ◽  
Tobias Krettenauer

This meta-analysis examined the relationship between moral identity and moral behavior. It was based on 111 studies from a broad range of academic fields including business, developmental psychology and education, marketing, sociology, and sport sciences. Moral identity was found to be significantly associated with moral behavior (random effects model, r = .22, p < .01, 95% CI [.19, .25]). Effect sizes did not differ for behavioral outcomes (prosocial behavior, avoidance of antisocial behavior, ethical behavior). Studies that were entirely based on self-reports yielded larger effect sizes. In contrast, the smallest effect was found for studies that were based on implicit measures or used priming techniques to elicit moral identity. Moreover, a marginally significant effect of culture indicated that studies conducted in collectivistic cultures yielded lower effect sizes than studies from individualistic cultures. Overall, the meta-analysis provides support for the notion that moral identity strengthens individuals’ readiness to engage in prosocial and ethical behavior as well as to abstain from antisocial behavior. However, moral identity fares no better as a predictor of moral action than other psychological constructs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-14
Author(s):  
Zhiyong Li ◽  
Yonghai Zhu ◽  
Li Zhang ◽  
Junhe Liao ◽  
Yuqiu Gong ◽  
...  

We explored the mediating mechanism of positive reciprocity in the relationship between moral identity and moral behavior, using data obtained from a survey of 567 college students. The results indicate that moral identity internalization, moral identity symbolization, and overall moral identity were positively correlated with positive reciprocity and moral behavior. In addition, positive reciprocity was positively correlated with moral behavior. Further, moral identity internalization moderated the influence of moral identity symbolization on moral behavior, and this moderating effect was partially mediated by positive reciprocity. Specifically, the effect of moral identity symbolization on moral behavior through positive reciprocity was strong among individuals with higher moral identity internalization, but weak among individuals with lower moral identity internalization. Overall, the study findings reveal how moral identity affects moral behavior, which has implications for improving the structure of ideological and moral education in colleges and universities.


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