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Antecedents of Moral Pride: the Harder the Action, the Greater the Pride?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 July 2014

Itziar Etxebarria*
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU (Spain)
M José Ortiz
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU (Spain)
Pedro Apodaca
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU (Spain)
Aitziber Pascual
Affiliation:
Universidad del País Vasco UPV/EHU (Spain)
*
*Correspondence concerning this paper should be addressed to Itziar Etxebarria, Departamento de Procesos Psicológicos Básicos y Desarrollo. Universidad del País Vasco. Aptdo. 726. 20080. San Sebastián (Spain). Phone: +34–943015966. Fax: +34–943015670. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

The study’s aim was to analyze if some specific types of action generate higher levels of moral pride. Three variables were analyzed: whether the actions involved going against the group majority, whether they involved a personal cost of a different kind and whether they were the result of a prior intention. Participants were 160 adolescents aged between 14 and 16. Sixteen scenarios were designed (two for each combination of the three variables) in which someone needed help. Half of the participants were presented with 8 of these scenarios, and half with the other 8. In each scenario, participants were asked to state what they would feel and do and how much pride they would feel if they helped. Curiously enough, both prosocial behaviors which involved going against the majority, F(1, 140) = 60.36, p = .001, η2 = .301 and those which involved a personal cost of a different kind, F(1, 140) = 10.17, p = .002, η2 = .068 generated less moral pride.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2014 

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