Influences of past moral behavior on future behavior : A review of sequential moral behavior studies using meta-analytic techniques

Journal article


Ferguson, Rose, Kaufmann, Leah, Brown, Aimee and de la Piedad Garcia, Xochitl. (2024). Influences of past moral behavior on future behavior : A review of sequential moral behavior studies using meta-analytic techniques. Psychological Bulletin. 150(6), pp. 694-726. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000441
AuthorsFerguson, Rose, Kaufmann, Leah, Brown, Aimee and de la Piedad Garcia, Xochitl
Abstract

Experimental research on sequential moral behavior (SMB) has found that engaging in an initial moral (or immoral) behavior can sometimes lead to moral balancing (i.e., switching between positive and negative behavior) and sometimes to moral consistency (i.e., maintaining a consistent pattern of positive or negative behavior). In two meta-analyses, we present the first comprehensive syntheses of SMB studies and test moderators to identify the conditions under which moral balancing and moral consistency are most likely to occur. Meta-Analysis 1 (k = 217 effect sizes, N = 31,242) revealed that engaging in an initial positive behavior only reliably resulted in moral licensing (i.e., balancing) in studies that measured engagement in negative target behaviors (Hedges’ g = 0.25, 95% CI [0.16, 0.44]) and only resulted in positive consistency in foot-in-the-door studies using prosocial requests (Hedges’ g = −0.44, 95% CI [−0.59, −0.29]). Meta-Analysis 2 (k = 132 effect sizes, N = 14,443) revealed that engaging in an initial negative behavior only reliably resulted in moral compensation (i.e., balancing) in studies that measured engagement in positive target behaviors (Hedges’ g = 0.27, 95% CI [0.18, 0.37]). We found no evidence for reliable negative consistency effects in any conditions. These results cannot be readily explained by current theories of SMB effects, and so further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms that drive moral balancing and consistency under the conditions observed.

Keywordssequential behavior; moral behavior; moral licensing; moral consistency; moral compensation
Year2024
JournalPsychological Bulletin
Journal citation150 (6), pp. 694-726
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association
ISSN0033-2909
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000441
PubMed ID38990659
Scopus EID2-s2.0-85199661397
Open accessPublished as ‘gold’ (paid) open access
Page range694-726
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Open
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online2024
Publication process dates
Accepted11 Apr 2024
Deposited06 May 2025
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0). This license permits copying and redistributing the work in anymedium or format, as well as adapting the material for any purpose, even commercially.

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