Being Moral When It Is Counternormative: The Relationship Between the Creative Identity and Moral Objection

Abstract

Relying on the work on creative prototype and role theory, we demonstrate that having a creative identity can lead to moral objection depending on the implication of the act for one’s identity as a creative individual. In a pilot study using a survey of working adults, we find that employees’ creative identities and their intention to object in moral situations are positively and significantly correlated. Utilizing measurement-of-mediation (Study 1) and experimental mediation (Studies 2–4) approaches, we test and find support for the mediating role of norm-breaking motives predicting moral objection. In Studies 2–4, we find that creative identities lead to moral objection when moral objection is counter-normative and not when it is an expected, normative behavior. Across five studies (N = 1,327), utilizing both experimental and correlational methods, this paper shows that creative identities can prompt moral objection when such objection is counter-normative, aligning with the creative prototype and reinforcing a creative identity through norm-breaking motives. We extend prior theories on the consequences of creativity, the creative prototype, creative identities, and their link with moral acts.