Moral Evaluation Of Conformity: A Comparative Study

摘要

Moral values are a part of the general value systems ofindividuals which serve the function of guiding theindividual's choices in life and determining his reactionsto his various experiences. According to Lewin, "valuesinfluence behavior but have not the character of a goal...the individual does not try to reach the value of fairnessbut fairness is guiding his behavior."2In other words, actingin accordance with one's values does not decrease the powerof that value in guiding one's behavior. A person feelscontent with himself when he acts according to his valuesand feels discomfort or dissonance when his behaviorcontradicts his values. Just as values influence the choicesindividuals make and the actions they take,actions and choicesin turn may influence people's values. Numerous studiesgenerated by dissonance theory give examples of thisphenomenon.