Barry R. Schlenker

Abstract To examine the effects of the social context of a harm-producing action and the magnitude of harm on evaluations of a harm-doer and victim, 80 female subjects read scenarios that described either a cooperative or competitive interaction in which either mild or severe harm occurred.

Abstract Ninety-six subjects were induced to taste unpleasant liquids under conditions of either high or low external justification. In the context of a subsequent interview, subjects rated the task, themselves, and the experimenter for an interviewer who purportedly made positive, negative, or no comments about the task. Subjects rated the liquids as tastier under low- rather than high-justification conditions, thus rationalizing their decision.

Most people think of themselves as being principled. College students regard themselves as more principled than the typical person and believe they behave consistently with their principles most of the time (Miller & Schlenker, 2009).