Does the First Step of the Induced-Hypocrisy Paradigm Really Matter? An Initial Investigation Using a Meta-Analytic Approach

Abstract

The induced-hypocrisy paradigm is an effective two-step procedure—the behavioral standards salience step and the transgressions salience step—for encouraging normative behaviors. Recent findings have raised questions about the necessity of the first step in inducing behavioral change. This research aims to test the role of the standards salience step in the hypocrisy paradigm. To this end, we used a meta-analytic approach to test the moderation of standards salience on hypocrisy effect sizes. We compared 16 studies with “strong” standards salience with 19 studies with “weak” standards salience. The results revealed that, compared with control and transgressions-only conditions, the hypocrisy effect sizes were moderate in the “strong” standards group and weak or nonsignificant in the “weak” standards group. These results contribute to the further investigation of the processes underlying the hypocrisy paradigm and represent progress by identifying the optimal conditions for implementing its first step.