Center for Behavioral Decision Research

CBDR : Seminar Series : Seminar by Benoit Monin

Protecting the Halo: The Role of Self-Image in Everyday Morality

	presented by Benoit Monin (Stanford University)


	Thursday, January 24	link to paper
	Noon-1:15
	Porter 223D	link to Speaker's Site

	Abstract:

	The psychological study of morality has focused on how individuals decide right from wrong, or react to the violations of others. I propose in contrast to explore the role of the self in judging moral behavior, and of morality in protecting a positive self. The research I will present illustrates this connection in three domains. In the first part of the talk ("Do-gooder derogation") I show that people harbor surprising amounts of resentment against moral minorities (e.g., vegetarians), and that this can be linked to to the perception that their moral self is questioned. In the second part of the talk ("Resenting Moral Rebels"), I show that the same exemplary moral behavior is appreciated by some, and resented by others, depending one their involvement in the situation, and thus on how much the moral gesture is an indictment of their own passivity. In the third part of the talk ("From sucker to saint"), I show that morality can sometimes help to preserve a positive self-image, especially in cases where one feels stupid for doing something, and can justify it post-hoc on moral grounds. Finally I argue that, in line with these results, morality should be studied alongside other phenomena in social psychology rather than as a special domain with rules of its own.

	Host at CMU: Moore