Abstract
Across three studies, the authors examine the interactive effects of moral identity and the negative reciprocity norm in predicting revenge. The general argument is that moral identity provides the motivational impetus for individuals’ responses, whereas the normative framework that people adopt as a basis for guiding moral action (e.g., negative reciprocity norm) influences the direction of the response. Results indicated that moral identity and the negative reciprocity norm significantly interacted to predict revenge. More specifically, the symbolization dimension of moral identity interacted with the negative reciprocity norm to predict revenge when individuals were the targets of mistreatment, whereas the internalization dimension of moral identity interacted with the negative reciprocity norm to predict revenge when individuals were the observers of mistreatment. Theoretical implications related to the differences between the symbolization and internalization dimensions of moral identity, the importance of examining normative frameworks, and the functionality of revenge are discussed.
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Notes
We use “strength” and “self-importance” of moral identity synonymously.
Given the volume of interaction terms and our sample size, we used a more liberal alpha of p < .10 for the three-way interaction terms.
We thank an anonymous reviewer for this comment.
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Appendices
Appendix 1: Study 1 Stimuli (Partner’s Essay Response)
A good leader is someone who has a clear vision and in today’s world it is important that leaders have the ability to accept and manage change. Charisma is an important quality in a leader. I think there are a few differences between male and female leaders. In my opinion, men [women] generally make better leaders than women [men]. The most important difference is that leaders need to be able to accept criticism and I think women [men] have a harder time doing this than men [women] and that makes women [men] ineffective leaders. I think women [men] also allow their personal views to influence how they make decisions.
Appendix 2: Study 2 Stimuli (Audio Clip)
Participants listened to a recording of a speech given by Oklahoma State legislator Sally Kern.
The homosexual agenda is destroying this nation. Not everybody’s lifestyle is equal. Just like not all religions are equal. You know, the very fact that I’m talking to you like this, here today, puts me in jeopardy. Okay, and so, so be it. Okay, and I’m not ‘anti’, I’m not gay bashing, but according to God’s word that is not the right kind of lifestyle. It has deadly consequences for those people involved in it. They have more suicides and they’re more discouraged, there’s more illness, their life spans are shorter. You know, it’s not a lifestyle that is good for this nation. Matter of fact, studies show no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted more than, you know, a few decades. So it’s the death knell for this country. I honestly think it’s the biggest threat even, that our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam, which I think is a big threat, okay. Because what’s happening now, they’re going after, in schools, 2-year-olds. You know why they’re trying to get early childhood education? They want to get our young children into the government schools so they can indoctrinate them. I taught school for close to 20 years and we’re not teaching facts and knowledge anymore, folks, we’re teaching indoctrination, okay? And they’re going after our young children as young as 2 years of age to try to teach them that the homosexual lifestyle is an acceptable lifestyle. You know gays are infiltrating city councils. Did you know, Eureka Springs, anybody been there to the Passion Play? Have you heard that the city council of Eureka Springs is now controlled by gays, okay? There are some others, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Tacoma, Maryland, Kensington, Maryland, in Vermont, Oregon, West Palm Beach, Florida and a lot of other places in Florida. What’s happening? They are winning elections. One of the things I deal with in our legislature is, I tried to introduce a bill last year that would notify parents, schools had to let parents know what clubs their students were involved in. And the reason I did that bill, primarily, was this, we have the gay/straight alliance coming into our schools. Kids are getting involved in these groups, their lives are being ruined, their parents don’t know about it. So I introduced a bill that said you have to notify all clubs and things. And one of my colleagues said, ‘well you know we don’t have a gay problem in my community and that’s why I voted against that bill.” Well, you know what? To me that is so dumb. If you got cancer or something in your little toe, do you say, “well you know, I’m just going to forget about it because the rest of me is just fine”? It spreads, and this stuff is deadly and it’s spreading and will destroy our young people and it will destroy this nation.
Appendix 3: Study 3 Stimuli (Video Clip)
Monday
I’ve got a newsflash for you. Start time is 8:00 a.m… 8:00 a.m. Let’s see: 8:01, 7:55, 7:54, 7:40, 8:01, 7:49, 7:50, 8:02, 8:01, 8:03. In the past month you’ve been a late a total of 8 min. Now, it might be fun for you to get over on the big, bad company, you might get your jollies like that, but that doesn’t work for me, alright? So I want you to fix this time thing. I want you to fix it, do you understand? Fix the time thing. Now get out.
Wednesday
So I’m walking by your cubicle and I see an unauthorized poster. It says ‘Hang in there, baby’, it’s got a little kitty cat, hanging on a rope. ‘Hang in there, baby. Hang in there’. I guess you feel the need to hang in your job is so tough—[mockingly] ‘I’m hanging in’. Let me tell you something. I started at this company on the loading docks 20 years ago and now I’m here. I didn’t have to ‘hang in’. I’m here. You disgust me, go back to your cushy chair and your soft cubicle and hang in there. Get out.
Friday
Sit. Bottom line: I had to cancel your vacation. My plate is too full. What, you’re giving me the eyes? You’re giving me the eyes, huh? Do you know how busy we are? I should’ve fired you for not offering. Giving me the eyes. [mockingly cries] Get out—take your eyes and get out of here.
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Barclay, L.J., Whiteside, D.B. & Aquino, K. To Avenge or Not to Avenge? Exploring the Interactive Effects of Moral Identity and the Negative Reciprocity Norm. J Bus Ethics 121, 15–28 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1674-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1674-6