The Structure of Moral Action: A Hermeneutic Study of Moral Conflict

Abstract

Examined cases of moral conflict among 80 1st-yr undergraduates divided into 10 friendship groups composed of 8 individuals who were administered an adaptation of the prisoner's dilemma game, which involved a choice of 4 possible game options that ranged between an extreme of cooperation and an extreme of competition. Results reveal the emergence of a moral conflict occurring between teams during a crucial point of cooperation in the game. The occurrence of 'burning' (i.e., the deliberate breaking of agreement by the winning team) during the course of the exercise is examined in relation to temptation to behave immorally; the immediate reaction, accusation, and response of the losing team; and the outcome of the conflict. The dilemma faced by Ss is discussed in terms of the sense of failure and distrust experienced by the losing team and the winning team members' feelings that the losers are being unreasonable. The necessity for emotional disclosure, the nature of articulation (rational reconstruction vs practical deliberation), and the certitude and egocentricity involved in the accusation/response phase of moral conflict are also discussed. (4½ p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)