Construing Morality at High versus Low Levels Induces Better Self-control, Leading to Moral Acts
Human morality entails a typical self-control dilemma in which one must conform to moral rules or socially desirable norms while exerting control over amoral, selfish impulses. Extant research regarding the connection between self-control and level of construal suggest that, compared with a low-leve...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2017-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01041/full |
| _version_ | 1818026971034025984 |
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| author | Chia-Chun Wu Wen-Hsiung Wu Wen-Bin Chiou |
| author_facet | Chia-Chun Wu Wen-Hsiung Wu Wen-Bin Chiou |
| author_sort | Chia-Chun Wu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Human morality entails a typical self-control dilemma in which one must conform to moral rules or socially desirable norms while exerting control over amoral, selfish impulses. Extant research regarding the connection between self-control and level of construal suggest that, compared with a low-level, concrete construal (highlighting means and resources, e.g., answering ‘how’ questions), a high-level, abstract construal (highlighting central goals, e.g., answering ‘why’ questions) promotes self-control. Hence, construing morality at higher levels rather than lower levels should engender greater self-control and, it follows, promote a tendency to perform moral acts. We conducted two experiments to show that answering “why” (high-level construal) vs. “how” (low-level construal) questions regarding morality was associated with a situational state of greater self-control, as indexed by less Stroop interference in the Stroop color-naming task (Experiments 1 and 2). Participants exposed to “why” questions regarding morality displayed a greater inclination for volunteerism (Experiment 1), showed a lower tendency toward selfishness in a dictator game (Experiment 2), and were more likely to return undeserved money (Experiment 2) compared with participants exposed to “how” questions regarding morality. In both experiments, self-control mediated the effect of a high-level construal of morality on dependent measures. The current research constitutes a new approach to promoting prosociality and moral education. Reminding people to think abstractly about human morality may help them to generate better control over the temptation to benefit from unethical acts and make it more likely that they will act morally. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T04:40:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-07b8a82a56d2475c925a25b036c1c6a4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T04:40:28Z |
| publishDate | 2017-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-07b8a82a56d2475c925a25b036c1c6a42022-12-22T02:01:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782017-06-01810.3389/fpsyg.2017.01041267359Construing Morality at High versus Low Levels Induces Better Self-control, Leading to Moral ActsChia-Chun Wu0Wen-Hsiung Wu1Wen-Bin Chiou2Institute of Education, National Sun Yat-sen UniversityKaohsiung, TaiwanDepartment of Healthcare Administration and Medical Informatics, Kaohsiung Medical UniversityKaohsiung, TaiwanInstitute of Education, National Sun Yat-sen UniversityKaohsiung, TaiwanHuman morality entails a typical self-control dilemma in which one must conform to moral rules or socially desirable norms while exerting control over amoral, selfish impulses. Extant research regarding the connection between self-control and level of construal suggest that, compared with a low-level, concrete construal (highlighting means and resources, e.g., answering ‘how’ questions), a high-level, abstract construal (highlighting central goals, e.g., answering ‘why’ questions) promotes self-control. Hence, construing morality at higher levels rather than lower levels should engender greater self-control and, it follows, promote a tendency to perform moral acts. We conducted two experiments to show that answering “why” (high-level construal) vs. “how” (low-level construal) questions regarding morality was associated with a situational state of greater self-control, as indexed by less Stroop interference in the Stroop color-naming task (Experiments 1 and 2). Participants exposed to “why” questions regarding morality displayed a greater inclination for volunteerism (Experiment 1), showed a lower tendency toward selfishness in a dictator game (Experiment 2), and were more likely to return undeserved money (Experiment 2) compared with participants exposed to “how” questions regarding morality. In both experiments, self-control mediated the effect of a high-level construal of morality on dependent measures. The current research constitutes a new approach to promoting prosociality and moral education. Reminding people to think abstractly about human morality may help them to generate better control over the temptation to benefit from unethical acts and make it more likely that they will act morally.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01041/fullconstrual levelshonestymoralityself-controlvolunteerism |
| spellingShingle | Chia-Chun Wu Wen-Hsiung Wu Wen-Bin Chiou Construing Morality at High versus Low Levels Induces Better Self-control, Leading to Moral Acts Frontiers in Psychology construal levels honesty morality self-control volunteerism |
| title | Construing Morality at High versus Low Levels Induces Better Self-control, Leading to Moral Acts |
| title_full | Construing Morality at High versus Low Levels Induces Better Self-control, Leading to Moral Acts |
| title_fullStr | Construing Morality at High versus Low Levels Induces Better Self-control, Leading to Moral Acts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Construing Morality at High versus Low Levels Induces Better Self-control, Leading to Moral Acts |
| title_short | Construing Morality at High versus Low Levels Induces Better Self-control, Leading to Moral Acts |
| title_sort | construing morality at high versus low levels induces better self control leading to moral acts |
| topic | construal levels honesty morality self-control volunteerism |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01041/full |
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