The DOI matches its Crossref record; 43 of the 43 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Pro-Environmental Behavior Triggers Moral Inference, Not Licensing by Observers
Open accessPublished version of a preprint
Abstract
Several studies have shown that moral licensing by observers makes observers more lenient in their judgment of subsequent immoral behaviors committed by a person. Environmental behavior is generally perceived as moral behavior, but it is not known whether it can trigger moral licensing by observers. In two pre-registered experimental laboratory studies ( N 1 = 198, N 2 = 501), we have tested whether prior engagement in pro-environmental behavior triggers licensing by observers and thus makes observers judge more positively actors’ subsequent immoral behavior (Study 1) and their subsequent anti- and pro-environmental behaviors (Study 2). We found that people engaging in pro-environmental behavior were subsequently rated as more pro-environmental and moral, and their subsequent pro- and anti-environmental behaviors (but not outright immoral behavior) were rated as more moral by observers. As these effects also concern subsequent pro-environmental behaviors, they are broader than what licensing theory suggests.
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Cites
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Cited by
Yuan, S., Li, F., Browning, M. H. E. M., Bardhan, M., Zhang, K., McAnirlin, O., Patwary, M. M., & Reuben, A. (2024) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1295275 · Cited by 17
Urban, J., & Duda, E. (2024) · International Journal of Sociology · doi:10.1080/00207659.2024.2376985 · Cited by 9
Self-citationSelf-serving beliefs about science: Science justifies my weaknesses (but not other people’s)
Cruz, F., & Mata, A. (2024) · Public Understanding of Science · doi:10.1177/09636625241261320 · Cited by 9
Mustafa, S., Long, Y., Jamil, K., & Wang, X. (2025) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-025-17252-2 · Cited by 8
Li, C., Wang, X., & Wang, L. (2024) · Energy & Environment · doi:10.1177/0958305x241251405 · Cited by 8
Metadata
- Authors
- Urban, J., Bahník, Š., & Braun Kohlová, M.
- Affiliations
- Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
- Prague University of Economics and Business (CZ)
- Venue
- Environment and Behavior
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2023-01
- Volume
- 55
- Issue
- 1-2
- Pages
- 74-98
- ISSN
- 0013-9165 (ISSN-L)
- 1552-390X
- OpenAlex
- W4353066327
- Semantic Scholar
- a85b85c909808acbf8941132cab3b8b5a6a41d73
- Cited by
- 18
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 5
- FWCI
- 3.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Environment and Behavior (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Pro-Environmental Behavior and Attitudes
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Ethics in Business and Education
- Keywords
- moral licensing, pro-environmental behavior, moral inference, observer evaluation, moral perception, environmental behavior, unethical behavior, self-perception
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