Replicating and extending the effects of auditory religious
cues on dishonest behavior

J 2020

Replicating and extending the effects of auditory religious cues on dishonest behavior

NICHOLS, Aaron, Martin LANG, Christopher KAVANAGH, Radek KUNDT, Junko YAMADA et. al.

Basic information

Original name

Replicating and extending the effects of auditory religious cues on dishonest behavior

Authors

NICHOLS, Aaron (840 United States of America), Martin LANG (203 Czech Republic, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Christopher KAVANAGH (826 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Radek KUNDT (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution), Junko YAMADA (392 Japan), Dan ARIELY (376 Israel) and Panagiotis MITKIDIS (300 Greece)

Edition

PLoS ONE, San Francisco, Public Library of Science, 2020, 1932-6203

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

60304 Religious studies

Country of publisher

United States of America

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

References:

URL

Impact factor

Impact factor: 3.240

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14210/20:00116205

Organization unit

Faculty of Arts

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237007

UT WoS

000562668300037

Keywords in English

religious priming; ethical behavior; religious music; ritual behavior

Abstract

V originále

Although scientists agree that replications are critical to the debate on the validity of religious priming research, religious priming replications are scarce. This paper attempts to replicate and extend previously observed effects of religious priming on ethical behavior. We test the effect of religious instrumental music on individuals’ ethical behavior with university participants (N = 408) in the Czech Republic, Japan, and the US. Participants were randomly assigned to listen to one of three musical tracks (religious, secular, or white noise) or to no music (control) for the duration of a decision-making game. Participants were asked to indicate which side of a vertically-bisected computer screen contained more dots and, in every trial, indicating that the right side of the screen had more dots earned participants the most money (irrespective of the number of dots). Therefore, participants were able to report dishonestly to earn more money. In agreement with previous research, we did not observe any main effects of condition. However, we were unable to replicate a moderating effect of self-reported religiosity on the effects of religious music on ethical behavior. Nevertheless, further analyses revealed moderating effects for ritual participation and declared religious affiliation congruent with the musical prime. That is, participants affiliated with a religious organization and taking part in rituals cheated significantly less than their peers when listening to religious music. We also observed significant differences in cheating behavior across samples. On average, US participants cheated the most and Czech participants cheated the least. We conclude that normative conduct is, in part, learned through active membership in religious communities and our findings provide further support for religious music as a subtle, moral cue.

Links

EE2.3.20.0048, research and development project

Name: Laboratoř pro experimentální výzkum náboženství

Citovat

NICHOLS, Aaron, Martin LANG, Christopher KAVANAGH, Radek KUNDT, Junko YAMADA, Dan ARIELY and Panagiotis MITKIDIS. Replicating and extending the effects of auditory religious cues on dishonest behavior. PLoS ONE. San Francisco: Public Library of Science, 2020, vol. 15, No 8, p. 1-20. ISSN 1932-6203. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237007.

@article{1674156,
   author = {Nichols, Aaron and Lang, Martin and Kavanagh, Christopher and Kundt, Radek and Yamada, Junko and Ariely, Dan and Mitkidis, Panagiotis},
   article_location = {San Francisco},
   article_number = {8},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237007},
   keywords = {religious priming; ethical behavior; religious music; ritual behavior},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {1932-6203},
   journal = {PLoS ONE},
   title = {Replicating and extending the effects of auditory religious cues on dishonest behavior},
   url = {https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0237007},
   volume = {15},
   year = {2020}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 1674156
AU  - Nichols, Aaron - Lang, Martin - Kavanagh, Christopher - Kundt, Radek - Yamada, Junko - Ariely, Dan - Mitkidis, Panagiotis
PY  - 2020
TI  - Replicating and extending the effects of auditory religious cues on dishonest behavior
JF  - PLoS ONE
VL  - 15
IS  - 8
SP  - 1-20
EP  - 1-20
PB  - Public Library of Science
SN  - 19326203
KW  - religious priming
KW  - ethical behavior
KW  - religious music
KW  - ritual behavior
UR  - https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0237007
L2  - https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0237007
N2  - Although scientists agree that replications are critical to the debate on the validity of religious priming research, religious priming replications are scarce. This paper attempts to replicate and extend previously observed effects of religious priming on ethical behavior. We test the effect of religious instrumental music on individuals’ ethical behavior with university participants (N = 408) in the Czech Republic, Japan, and the US. Participants were randomly assigned to listen to one of three musical tracks (religious, secular, or white noise) or to no music (control) for the duration of a decision-making game. Participants were asked to indicate which side of a vertically-bisected computer screen contained more dots and, in every trial, indicating that the right side of the screen had more dots earned participants the most money (irrespective of the number of dots). Therefore, participants were able to report dishonestly to earn more money. In agreement with previous research, we did not observe any main effects of condition. However, we were unable to replicate a moderating effect of self-reported religiosity on the effects of religious music on ethical behavior. Nevertheless, further analyses revealed moderating effects for ritual participation and declared religious affiliation congruent with the musical prime. That is, participants affiliated with a religious organization and taking part in rituals cheated significantly less than their peers when listening to religious music. We also observed significant differences in cheating behavior across samples. On average, US participants cheated the most and Czech participants cheated the least. We conclude that normative conduct is, in part, learned through active membership in religious communities and our findings provide further support for religious music as a subtle, moral cue.
ER  -

NICHOLS, Aaron, Martin LANG, Christopher KAVANAGH, Radek KUNDT, Junko YAMADA, Dan ARIELY and Panagiotis MITKIDIS. Replicating and extending the effects of auditory religious cues on dishonest behavior. \textit{PLoS ONE}. San Francisco: Public Library of Science, 2020, vol.~15, No~8, p.~1-20. ISSN~1932-6203. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0237007.

Detailed Information on Publication Record