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For whom does deterrence affect behavior? Identifying key individual differences
Adam Fine1, Benjamin van Rooij2
1Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, School of Social Ecology, University of California, Irvine.
Law and Human Behavior
|April 7, 2017
Summary
Deterrence threats are more effective for individuals with lower moral disengagement, higher self-control, and a stronger rule orientation. Understanding these individual differences enhances deterrence strategies.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Deterrence threats are crucial for behavior modification but often lack efficacy.
- Individual differences in susceptibility to deterrence are increasingly recognized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how individual differences in morality, self-control, and rule orientation influence susceptibility to deterrence threats.
Main Methods:
- An experimental cheating paradigm was employed with 223 adult participants recruited via Amazon Mechanical Turk.
- The study examined the relationship between specific individual differences and responses to deterrence.
Main Results:
- Deterrence threats were found to be more impactful for individuals exhibiting low moral disengagement.
- Higher levels of self-control correlated with increased susceptibility to deterrence.
- A stronger rule orientation also predicted greater responsiveness to deterrence threats.
Conclusions:
- Significant individual differences influence how people respond to deterrence.
- Tailoring deterrence strategies based on individual psychological traits may improve effectiveness.
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