The Uncertain Universality of the Macbeth Effect with a Spanish Sample

  1. Gámez Armas, Elena 1
  2. Díaz Gómez, José Miguel 1
  3. Marrero Hernández, Hipólito 1
  1. 1 Universidad de La Laguna
    info

    Universidad de La Laguna

    San Cristobal de La Laguna, España

    ROR https://ror.org/01r9z8p25

Revista:
The Spanish Journal of Psychology

ISSN: 1138-7416

Any de publicació: 2011

Volum: 14

Número: 1

Pàgines: 156-162

Tipus: Article

DOI: 10.5209/REV_SJOP.2011.V14.N1.13 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openAccés obert editor

Altres publicacions en: The Spanish Journal of Psychology

Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible

Resum

Recently a psychological mechanism has been proposed between bodily purity and moral purity: the “Macbeth effect”. The act of washing their hands seems to free individuals of their guilt. However, the universality of this psychological mechanism is an empirical question that should be studied. In four studies we replicated the original Zhong & Liljenquist's experiments with Spanish samples. We were unsuccessful in replicating the Zhong & Liljenquist's results that supported cleansing as a psychological mechanism for compensating guilty: results couldn't confirm an increased mental accessibility of cleansing-related concepts or even a greater desire for cleansing products, neither a greater likelihood of taking antiseptic wipes. In addition we didn't find that physical cleansing alleviates the upsetting consequences of unethical behaviour. Spanish samples showed sensibility to morality and helping behaviour but not with cleansing as a way to reduce their threatened morality.

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Fuente de los datos: Dialnet