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Listen to your heart: when false somatic feedback shapes moral behavior.
Jun Gu1, Chen-Bo Zhong, Elizabeth Page-Gould
1School of Business, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. J.Gu@Monash.edu
Journal of Experimental Psychology. General
|August 15, 2012
Summary
Listening to a fast heartbeat sound can promote ethical behavior by increasing volunteering and reducing dishonesty. This effect is diminished when individuals are mindful or deliberate in their decision-making.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Moral Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Moral dilemmas often elicit physiological responses, such as a pounding heart.
- Understanding the influence of these bodily sensations on ethical decision-making is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether perceived fast heartbeat sound influences ethical behavior.
- To explore the boundary conditions under which this effect operates.
Main Methods:
- Four experiments utilized a false feedback paradigm to manipulate perceived heartbeat speed.
- Participants' ethical behavior was assessed through measures of volunteering and deception.
Main Results:
- Perceived fast heartbeat significantly increased volunteering for a just cause.
- Perceived fast heartbeat reduced instances of lying for self-gain.
- The influence of perceived heartbeat on deception decreased when participants were mindful or deliberative.
Conclusions:
- The physiological experience of a fast heartbeat may signal heightened distress in moral contexts.
- This perceived distress can motivate individuals towards more ethical actions, promoting the 'moral high road'.
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