Can ideological identity influence the inference of moral behaviors?
摘要
This study examines the extent to which ideological identity influences the prediction of moral behavior in low-information contexts. Using a survey experiment conducted with university students in Chile, participants evaluated the likelihood that ‘Rodrigo,’ a fictional character with a randomly assigned ideological identity (left, center, right, or independent), would engage in immoral conduct. The results reveal that the evaluator’s ideological identity and ‘Rodrigo’s’ ideological identity significantly impact the prediction of immoral behavior. This effect is particularly evident among leftist, centrist, and non-ideologically identified students, while rightist participants showed no significant bias in their predictions. Furthermore, the findings highlight the role of ideological distance in shaping moral attributions, with greater differences amplifying the likelihood of immorality being ascribed to out-group members. Contrary to expectations, moral predictions were not confined to specific moral dimensions (Individualizing and Binding), suggesting a generalized bias against certain ideological identities, particularly the right, in the Chilean university context. These findings contribute to the understanding of intergroup dynamics by proposing that moral predictions are not only shaped by cognitive heuristics but are also rooted in ideological identity.