Social Psychology Essay Sample
Topic Chosen
This paper will be a study in social psychology and the various disorders that fall under the field. Xu et al. (2019) explore dognitive dissonance and self-consistency theory. In particular, Xu et al. (2019) looks at how individuals tend to calibrate their moral identity when confronted with evidence of unethical
Source
Xu, Z. X., Ma, H. K., Wang, Y., & Li, J. (2019). Maybe I Am Not as Moral as I Thought: Calibrating Moral Identity After Immoral Action. Current Psychology, 38(5), 1347-1354. doi:10.1007/s12144-017-9686-5
Problem Investigated
The problem investigated in Xu et al. (2019) is the issue of how an individual with a high moral identity might deal with circumstances once confronted with evidence that they behaved in an immoral fashion. For instance, when confronted with this cognitive dissonance, will these same individuals change their moral stance?
Hypothesis
Using cognitive dissonance theory along with self-consistency theory as a basis for their reasoning, Xu et al. (2019) posited that the level of calibration when confronted with immoral behavior would be contingent on the level of moral identity the individual possessed. Indeed, those with a lower moral identity would incur less of a calibration when compared to their peers possessing a high level of moral identity. Moreover, those with a higher level of moral identity would incur a much more painful undertaking than those with lower moral identity.
In addition to their hypothesis concerning the ultimate results of their study, Xu et al. (2019) also predicted that nearly all of the participants would inflate their moral identities prior to the experiment, and would be more conservative after the results of the study had come in.
Methodology
Xu et al. (2019 uses an empirical study to reach its conclusions. The experiment involved 87 young adults including 56 female participants and 31 male participants ranging from 18 to 35 years of age (mean age of 23.10). All participants were recruited from a local university in Hong Kong. All participants had their mortal identity measured both before and after the study using a Chinese-based version of moral identity. At the outset, all participants in the study identified themselves as moral beings.
All the participants were subjected to a modified paradigm originated by Greene and Paxton (2009) used to measure cheating behavior.
Results
In their studies for cheating behavior, the study found that prior moral identity those participants that held a higher moral identity were negatively correlated with cheating behavior, or that those with higher levels or moral identity were less likely to cheat than those with lower levels of moral identity.
Discussion, Final Thoughts and Conclusion
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this study is that it explores moral identity changes that occur after an individual has been presented with evidence of immoral behavior. The studies indicate that those with the highest levels of moral identity, although less susceptible to so-called immoral behaviors, tend to be the ones that are affected the most by it when evidence of their immoral behavior is presented to them.
Topic Chosen
In keeping with the topic and study of social psychology, Rodriguez & Girandola (2017) explore the topics of cognitive dissonance and self-fulfilling prophecies. Interestingly enough, when people are asked to predict behaviors, this tends to increase the probability that the prediction will actually occur. Hence, the concept of self-fulfilling. However, this paper will examine the concept of self-fulfilling prophecy in light of cognitive dissonance and the subject’s past behaviors and normative beliefs.
Source
Rorigues, L., & Girandola, F. (2017). Self-prophecies and cognitive dissonance: Habit, norms and justification of past behavior. North American Journal of Psychology, 19(1).
Problem Investigated
The habitual and normative beliefs about recycling were measured in the study in order to determine the level of psychological discomfort present in the subject when two or more cognitions (attitude, beliefs, behavior) are in dissonance. Rodriguez & Girandola (2017) attempt to determine if cognitive dissonance can be reduced in the subject when allowing them to justify their transgressions.
Hypothesis
Before conducting their study Rodriguez & Girandola (2017) hypothesized five primary items, which are included below.
- Those subjects who made predictions without justification with scores significantly higher on the basis of psychological discomfort when compared to those participants that made a prediction with justification included. This hypothesis relates to the self-fulfilling prophecy of the subject.
- Those participants with a weak recycling habit would score higher of psychological discomfort compared to those with a strong recycling habit.
- Participants with a weak habit will score higher on psychological discomfort compared with those with stronger recycling habits only if they make a prediction without justification
- The participants with strong normative beliefs with score higher of psychological discomfort compared to participants with weak normative beliefs
- Participants with strong normative beliefs will score higher on psychological discomfort compared to those with weak normative beliefs only if they make a prediction about recycling without justification. The reason for this being because of the shock the revelation would have on their psyche.
Methodology
Rodriguez & Girandola (2017) also used an empirical analysis to reach their conclusions. Their study consisted of 174 students with 147 women and 27 men with a mean age of 19 years old. The experiment was conducted in two sessions and involved each participant answering questionnaires related to normative beliefs, habits and affects related to recycling behaviors and tendencies. Normative beliefs were then measured using a 15-point Likert scale. Habit was measured using Verplanken and Orbell’s (2003) scale. Lastly, effects were measured using the scale developed by Norton et al (2003). Only half of the participants were asked to provide a justification of their past behavior.
Results
Rodriguez & Girandola (2017) used a multiple regression analysis to ascertain the results of their study. That analysis found that those with a weak recycling habit experienced a profound degree of psychological discomfort compared to those with strong recycling habits when confronted with the results. Nevertheless, and their hypothesis suggested, those with weak recycling habits that were able to provide justification experienced much less psychological discomfort compared to those with weak habits that did not provide justification.
Discussion, Final Thoughts and Conclusion
The most meaningful item that can be taken from the study is that justification can have a profound impact on the reduction of cognitive dissonance with the mind and psychology of the individual. This is because the ability to provide a justification tends to reduce the pain or discomfort produced by the individual’s own self-fulfilling prophecies and inclinations. In the final analysis, providing a justification for past behaviors tends to create a sense of the participant no longer being responsible for their potentially immoral behavior, at least in the mind of the participant.
References
Rorigues, L., & Girandola, F. (2017). Self-prophecies and cognitive dissonance: Habit, norms and justification of past behavior. North American Journal of Psychology, 19(1).
Xu, Z. X., Ma, H. K., Wang, Y., & Li, J. (2017). Maybe I Am Not as Moral as I Thought: Calibrating Moral Identity After Immoral Action. Current Psychology, 38(5), 1347-1354. doi:10.1007/s12144-017-9686-5
