Influences of Past Moral Behavior on Future Behavior: A Review of Sequential Moral Behavior Studies Using Meta-Analytic Techniques

Experimental research on sequential moral behavior (SMB) has found that engaging in an initial moral (or immoral) behavior can sometimes lead to moral balancing (i.e., switching between positive and negative behavior) and sometimes to moral consistency (i.e., maintaining a consistent pattern of positive or negative behavior). In two meta-analyses, we present the first comprehensive syntheses of SMB studies and test moderators to identify the conditions under which moral balancing and moral consistency are most likely to occur. Meta-Analysis 1 (k = 217 effect sizes, N = 31,242) revealed that engaging in an initial positive behavior only reliably resulted in moral licensing (i.e., balancing) in studies that measured engagement in negative target behaviors (Hedges' g = 0.25, 95% CI [0.16, 0.44]) and only resulted in positive consistency in foot-in-the-door studies using prosocial requests (Hedges' g = −0.44, 95% CI [−0.59, −0.29]). Meta-Analysis 2 (k = 132 effect sizes, N = 14,443) revealed that engaging in an initial negative behavior only reliably resulted in moral compensation (i.e., balancing) in studies that measured engagement in positive target behaviors (Hedges' g = 0.27, 95% CI [0.18, 0.37]). We found no evidence for reliable negative consistency effects in any conditions. These results cannot be readily explained by current theories of SMB effects, and so further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms that drive moral balancing and consistency under the conditions observed. Public Significance Statement Previous research suggests the likelihood of engaging in a moral (or immoral) behavior may be influenced by whether a person has previously engaged in another moral action. Our analyses have identified different circumstances under which prior moral (or immoral) behavior leads to a greater likelihood of subsequent positive, and negative, behavior. These results may inform the design of future research that aims to better understand the mechanisms underlying sequential moral behavior effects. Understanding the dynamics of sequential moral behavior may also inform practical strategies to increase engagement in positive behavior, such as engagement with charitable causes.