The differential effects of integral pride and gratitude on divergent moral judgment for the self versus others

Abstract

Individuals tend to have divergent moral judgment when judging oneself versus others, which is termed moral hypocrisy. While prior research has examined different factors that might influence moral hypocrisy, there are limited insights on the influences of different, discrete emotions. The present research seeks to address this gap and examines the differential influences of pride and gratitude on moral hypocrisy. Results of a pilot study and three main studies demonstrate that pride (but not gratitude) leads to moral hypocrisy. These effects are replicated across different cases of questionable behaviors and prosocial behaviors in a team setting. More importantly, this research identifies one mechanism that potentially explains this effect—the appraisal of self-other similarity. The findings of this research thus provide empirical evidence that distinct emotions arising from an organizational setting can differentially influence moral hypocrisy and offer practical implications. JEL Classification: C91, D23, D91