Conformism moderates the relations between values, anticipated regret, and behavior.

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Moral Psychology

Background:

• Understanding the interplay between personal values and behavior is crucial in social psychology.
• The role of social norms and conformity in shaping individual actions requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the moderating effect of Conformism values on the relationship between other values (self-transcendence vs. self-enhancement) and behavior.
• To test the hypothesis that individuals low in Conformism are more likely to exhibit value-consistent behavior.

Main Methods:

• Study 1: Correlational study (N=199) assessing values and altruistic behavior via other-reports.
• Study 2: Experimental study (N=189) examining the link between self-transcendence values, anticipated regret, and hypothetical scenarios.

Main Results:

• Personal values predicted altruistic behavior only when Conformism values were low (Study 1).
• Value-behavior consistency, specifically concerning self-transcendence and anticipated regret, was evident only in individuals who de-emphasized Conformism values (Study 2).

Conclusions:

• Anticipated regret serves as a motivator for value-consistent actions.
• Self-transcendence values are linked to altruistic behavior and anticipated regret.
• Conformity to social norms significantly moderates the influence of personal values on behavior.