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Cognitive Therapy and Research

Gepubliceerd in:

20-05-2023 | Original Article

An Experimental Investigation of Moral Self-Violation and Mental Contamination

Auteurs: Sandra Krause, Adam S. Radomsky

Gepubliceerd in: Cognitive Therapy and Research | Uitgave 5/2023

Abstract

Purpose

Cognitive models of mental contamination (feelings of dirtiness/washing behaviour that arise without direct contact with a contaminant) highlight the central role of perceptions of violation in the onset and maintenance of these feelings. Little research has been done to clarify violation-specific appraisals relevant to mental contamination. Perceptions of violation of one’s moral self-concept may represent one such appraisal domain. This experiment aimed to examine the impact of these appraisals on feelings of mental contamination.

Methods

One hundred and fifty participants received false feedback that they scored high on a morality subscale of a bogus personality test. They then completed a writing task wherein their degree of moral self-violation was manipulated. They received a writing prompt corresponding to one of three randomly assigned conditions (violated self (VS), bolstered self (BS), general negative (GN)). Finally, participants completed measures of mental contamination.

Results

The manipulation was effective at violating participants’ moral self-concept. Those in the VS condition reported significantly higher levels of feelings of mental contamination than those in the BS or GN conditions. There were no significant differences between conditions regarding urges to wash.

Conclusions

Findings highlight the relevance of moral self-violation in the understanding and treatment of mental contamination.

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Titel: An Experimental Investigation of Moral Self-Violation and Mental Contamination
Auteurs: Sandra Krause
Adam S. Radomsky
Publicatiedatum: 20-05-2023
Uitgeverij: Springer US
Gepubliceerd in: Cognitive Therapy and Research / Uitgave 5/2023
Print ISSN: 0147-5916
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-2819
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-023-10388-3

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Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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