Abstract
Moral emotion has been a focal element of moral Psychology. It will affect individual behavior patterns. Zhong and Liljenquist(2006), confirmed the existence of “Macbeth Effect” with their experiments, that is, washing hands can reduce one’s immoral sensation. However, some other researches made inconsistent conclusions. The contradictory results indicated that there may exist a certain metaphor relation between social culture and individual psychology. Or, perhaps, to a certain extent, the related research conclusion is not universal.
Influenced by Confucianism, Chinese culture has its unique characteristics which are especially known as Face Perceptions. This thesis is focused on the discussion of what will Chinese do when they are under the influence of immoral emotion in the context of Face Perceptions culture, with the Chinese university students as subjects. The study includes three experiments, mainly through arousing the subjects’ immoral emotions(or moral emotions), and then through three examinations, including the preference of character words(concealing-
related words and neutral words ), goods choice(concealing-related goods and neutral goods), as well as the preference of color(black and white). The first experiment employs one-factor between-group design, in order to test the ability of immoral emotions(or moral emotions) in affecting individual’s tendency of concealing-related behavior. The steps of the second experiment is the same as the first experiment, but the test mode is changed into a hidden test in order to examine whether immoral emotions(or moral emotions) have the influence of individual hobby about goods choice. The third experiment adopts 2(immoral emotions and moral emotions)×2
(concealing-related behavior and rest) two-factor between-group design in order to inspect whether after concealing-related behavior, people will prefer the white color under the influence of immoral emotion (or moral emotions).
The experimental results are as follows: Not only the Chinese university students who are under the influence of immoral emotion have an increased mental and behavioral accessibility of concealing-related behaviors and goods, but also the subjects who are under the influence of immoral emotion have a greater likelihood of the white color after their concealing-related behaviors. While there is no concealing-related behavior (rest), they have a greater desire for the black color. The previous psychological researches found that people preferred white after they made the moral behaviors, while black became their favorite after the immoral behaviors.
In a series of three studies' results indicate that, differencing from Western using cleaning as a way to reduce their threatened morality, Chinese individual shows sensibility to moral concealing-related behavior.
Key words
Chinese /
moral emotion /
concealing-related behavior
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Jun REN.
What Will Chinese Do After Immoral Behaviors?[J]. Journal of Psychological Science. 2013, 36(4): 978-983
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