A Literature Review of Moral Licensing Theory
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62051/ijgem.v10n7.07Keywords:
Moral licensing theory, Moral credits model, Moral credentials model, Moderating variablesAbstract
This paper reviews moral licensing theory by examining its origin, development, core concepts, theoretical models, moderating variables, applications, and future trends. The theory originated in early research on moral psychology. Early studies focused on social discrimination, and later research extended the theory to multiple domains. Its core idea is that prior moral behavior may create a psychological tendency to relax moral constraints in subsequent behavior. This review also discusses the theory's explanatory models, forms of licensing, extended research fields, and future directions, with the aim of deepening understanding of the decision-making mechanisms underlying human moral behavior.
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