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

Ano de publicación: 2011

Volume: 14

Número: 1

Páxinas: 156-162

Tipo: Artigo

DOI: 10.5209/REV_SJOP.2011.V14.N1.13 DIALNET GOOGLE SCHOLAR lock_openAcceso aberto editor

Outras publicacións en: The Spanish Journal of Psychology

Obxectivos de Desenvolvemento Sustentable

Resumo

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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Fonte de datos: Dialnet