Active Transgressions and Moral Elusions

Abstract

Are certain methods more effective for eliciting altruism than others? If so, what are the factors that stimulate moral behavior? Although past research has suggested that “passive” transgressions are more acceptable than “active” transgressions, it is unclear whether this bias translates to actual behavior. The goal of this research was to investigate the role of active or passive framing in prescriptive and proscriptive moral situations. In Study 1, participants were more likely to help a student with a disability if they were asked directly than if they were passively presented with the opportunity to help. In Study 2, participants completing a math task cheated less when cheating involved an action on their part rather than an omission. This research indicates that individuals are less likely to transgress if the transgression is explicit, a finding that has practical applications, informing how people and organizations can foster prosocial behavior and increase giving.