Heightening of moral identity: The role of mobile prosocial messages and presence

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study investigated the relationship between prosocial messages, the degree of presence induced from different message types and the heightening effect of moral identity. A total of 96 students were pre-tested with a moral identity scale and assigned to three experiment groups and one control group. Each of the experiment groups was exposed to a series of prosocial messages designed with different message characteristics daily. After 9 days the participants were subjected to moral identity and presence measures. Overall, presence design is key to heightening moral identity. Prosocial messages heightened moral identity symbolization significantly in two of the experiment groups and as expected, no significant changes occurred in the control group. Picture with text (PT) and narrative text (NT) prosocial messages heightened moral identity symbolization more than short text (ST) prosocial messages. Perceived presence mediates the relation between the pre-moral identity symbolization and post-moral symbolization but not moral internalization.