Vohs and Schooler (2008) Flashcards
Background to the study
Vohs and Schooler looked at moral behaviour. If people feel they do not choose what they do, they might not feel responsible for their actions, which could encourage a lack of morality. They suggest that taking away someone’s feeling of being in control and increasing their belief that behaviour is determined, and so reducing their responsibility, is likely to lead to less moral behaviour
Aim of the study
To see if encouraging a belief in determinism would encourage cheating.
Procedure of the study
13 female and 17 male university students took part in the study. They were all randomly allocated to the experimental or control group. The experimental group read Francis Crick’s claim that we have no freewill and the control group read about consciousness, not freewill. All participants were then put in a position where they could cheat using a computer program for maths problems. A measure of the participants’ beliefs about freewill and determinism was recorded before and after the study. To measure cheating, the number of space bar presses were recorded.
Results of the study
Participants who read Crick’s passage showed a lower belief in freewill than those who didn’t. Participants who read the anti-freewill passage showed more cheating. There’s was more cheating the less someone believed in freewill (negative correlation).
Conclusions of the study
When determinism is put forward as a view and freewill beliefs are challenged, behaviour becomes less moral. It was found that weakening someone’s belief in freewill leads to a higher likelihood of cheating. Also, people’s belief in freewill is easily challenged
Strengths of the study
The study was ethically strong as the participants were given a debrief
The study has practical applications
Weaknesses of the study
The measures of cheating and not cheating may not be valid
Mildly unethical as people are being convinced to change their beliefs
