1. Experimental Task

2. Instructions: You will now review the same scenarios from the morality test you have already taken. You will have 30 seconds to review each scenario. After you have reviewed each scenario, you will then be shown a number of advice statements suggesting alternative ways of considering the moral issues described in the scenario, in order to improve your test performance. Each advice statement has been endorsed by another student, who has also taken the same test. You will have nine seconds to view each advice statement, along with the advisors score. After viewing each advice statement, your job will then be to assess the utility of each statement, and indicate your assessment on the scoring sheet provided. You will not have a chance to review any statements for which you did not provide a response. Be sure to think carefully about each statement before scoring. Some statements appear more than once. Inconsistent assessments of repeated statements may significantly reduce your compensation for participating. 3. + 4. Scenario 1: Student Club It is recruitment time for my student club. All new members must be approved by a vote of 90% of the membership. I have been a member for one year and I am considered being groomed for a leadership position. My roommate wants to join. After the introduction party where members meet those who want to join, I heard several older members making fun of my roommate. 5. + 6. Statement # 1: Advisors Score: 95No one should influence others in voting. 7. + 8. Statement # 2: Advisors Score: 84Most would agree we are entitled to our own opinions. 9. + 10. Statement # 3: Advisors Score: 55Every man has a right to free opinion and choice. 11. + 12. Statement # 4: Advisors Score: 95Freedom of expression cant be taken away from anyone. 13. + 14. Statement # 5: Advisors Score: 84The most competent individuals will overcome the opposition. 15. + 16. Statement # 6: Advisors Score: 55Tampering with any kind of regulated election is always wrong. 17. + 18. Statement # 7: Advisors Score: 97Disrupting the process may hurt your own status. 19. + 20. Statement # 8: Advisors Score: 81We all prefer to be judged based on our merits. 21. + 22. Statement # 9: Advisors Score: 55Elections and selections must always be unbiased. 23. + 24. Statement # 10: Advisors Score: 97Biased selection leads to selecting the wrong people as leaders. 25. + 26. Statement # 11: Advisors Score: 81Dont let relationships undermine your adherence to the rules. 27. + 28. Statement # 12: Advisors Score: 55Every man has a right to free opinion and choice. 29. + 30. Statement # 13: Advisors Score: 55Better decisions are made when theyre not emotionally charged. 31. + 32. Please take one minute to briefly describe on your answer sheet any difficulties you may have experienced during this section. Otherwise, you may wait for the next section to begin. 33. + 34. Scenario 2: Plagiarism I work for the student newspaper and have labored for several weeks on a series of articles on violence and the media. My articles are due to be published in two weeks. This morning I saw my roommates term paper on the kitchen table. As I glanced through the paper, I recognized parts of it and realized that my roommate had copied word for word a sizable portion of my article. If my articles are published, my roommates plagiarism will be discovered and his/her graduation will be jeopardized. 35. + 36. Statement # 14: Advisors Score: 95I did the work, I deserve the credit. 37. + 38. Statement # 15: Advisors Score: 81It can be hard to stay objective with our friends. 39. + 40. Statement # 16: Advisors Score: 49People must be accountable for their actions. 41. + 42. Statement # 17: Advisors Score: 95Holding others responsible is sometimes in their best interest. 43. + 44. Statement # 18: Advisors Score: 81The Roommate is the one who made the mistake. 45. + 46. Statement # 19: Advisors Score: 55If we dont hold others accountable, they may repeat their mistakes. 47. + 48. Statement # 20: Advisors Score: 97When YOU make a mistake, YOU are responsible for it. 49. + 50. Statement # 21: Advisors Score: 84Dont others often hold you responsible for your actions? 51. + 52. Statement # 22: Advisors Score: 95Its fair to hold everyone to the same code of honor. 53. + 54. Statement # 23: Advisors Score: 84Everyone is expected to do their own work. 55. + 56. Statement # 24: Advisors Score: 95Holding others responsible is sometimes in their best interest. 57. + 58. Statement # 25: Advisors Score: 39Plagiarism and cheating are never justified. 59. + 60. Statement # 26: Advisors Score: 55Principles are meant to be followed. 61. + 62. Statement # 27: Advisors Score: 95Most people allow their principles to guide them. 63. + 64. Statement # 28: Advisors Score: 81My roommate has broken the chord of friendship and trust. 65. + 66. Statement # 29: Advisors Score: 39The roommate must have had reasons, but this is still not just. 67. + 68. Statement # 30: Advisors Score: 91My roommate is wrong, and I am not. 69. + 70. Please take one minute to briefly describe on your answer sheet any difficulties you may have experienced during this section. Otherwise, you may wait for the next section to begin. 71. + 72. Scenario 3: Karen My friend Karen and I are in a class together. This class is required for graduation, and this is the only time it is being offered this year. Karen flunked the first test, but made an A on her paper and midterm. I have been working very hard in this class but have made only Bs so far. Last night Karen confided in me that the professor had taken a personal interest in her and that he had asked her to spend the night with him in exchange for an A in the class. 73. + 74. Statement # 31: Advisors Score: 97If you dont get involved, youre a bad friend. 75. + 76. Statement # 32: Advisors Score: 84Resolving a conflict may mean taking difficult action. 77. + 78. Statement # 33: Advisors Score: 55Heres an idea: mind your own business. 79. + 80. Statement # 34: Advisors Score: 95Consider the difference between disagreeing, and intervening. 81. + 82. Statement # 35: Advisors Score: 84Faculty must be held to a high standard. 83. + 84. Statement # 36: Advisors Score: 49Nobody should win by breaking the rules. 85. + 86. Statement # 37: Advisors Score: 97Immoral faculty may ruin a nave students life. 87. + 88. Statement # 38: Advisors Score: 84Taking advantage of a student's weakness is wrong. 89. + 90. Statement # 39: Advisors Score: 39Violating rules undermines hard work and fair play. 91. + 92. Statement # 40: Advisors Score: 95The professor should be given a chance to correct his ways. 93. + 94. Statement # 41: Advisors Score: 81Everyone expects to have the right to do what they want. 95. + 96. Statement # 42: Advisors Score: 55They can do whatever they want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. 97. + 98. Statement # 43: Advisors Score: 95Is it right to combine pleasure with business? 99. + 100. Statement # 44: Advisors Score: 84Resolving a conflict may mean taking difficult action. 101. + 102. Statement # 45: Advisors Score: 84Consider whos rights are most important. 103. + 104. Please take one minute to briefly describe on your answer sheet any difficulties you may have experienced during this section. Otherwise, you may wait for the next section to begin. 105. + 106. Scenario 4: Morgan I have been married to Morgan for two years. We are both in college and do not have children. Three months ago Morgan was diagnosed as having cancer. The recommended treatment was intensive chemotherapy. Luckily, our insurance covers the medical bills. Morgan has asked me not to tell his/her parents about the cancer because Morgan feels that they would interfere with the course of treatment and demand that Morgan move home. I promised not to tell Morgans parents but the treatments are creating changes that are very hard to deal with. Morgans parents are perplexed by Morgans recent demeanor and blame it on our marriage, of which they were never very supportive. 107. + 108. Statement # 46: Advisors Score: 95It is best to stick to your promise. 109. + 110. Statement # 47: Advisors Score: 81You simply must weigh the interests of your wife and her parents. 111. + 112. Statement # 48: Advisors Score: 55You're not married to her parents. 113. + 114. Statement # 49: Advisors Score: 95Break your promise and watch things go from bad to worse. 115. + 116. Statement # 50: Advisors Score: 84Morgan is wrong to keep this from her parents. 117. + 118. Statement # 51: Advisors Score: 95It is best to stick to your promise. 119. + 120. Statement # 52: Advisors Score: 49If the treatment fails, how will the parents react to not knowing? 121. + 122. Statement # 53: Advisors Score: 95Morgan may have misjudged her parents' reactions. 123. + 124. Statement # 54: Advisors Score: 84Forget the parents, they don't like you anyway. 125. + 126. Please take one minute to briefly describe on your answer sheet any difficulties you may have experienced during this section. Otherwise, you may wait for the next section to begin. 127. + 128. Scenario 5: Administrator As the editor of the college newspaper, I decide which stories are published. One of our reporters has just turned in a story about a university administrator who has been diverting student fees for his own personal use. I assume that the story is accurate. I called the administrators house to speak with him about the discovery and to tell him we were going public with the story. His wife informed me that he was at the hospital with their child who is terminally ill. The deadline to run the story is midnight. 129. + 130. Statement # 55: Advisors Score: 95Right is right, wrong is wrong. 131. + 132. Statement # 56: Advisors Score: 81It is never wrong to stick to your principles. 133. + 134. Statement # 57: Advisors Score: 39If you tell, then the kid may die. 135. + 136. Statement # 58: Advisors Score: 95The scope of issue has changed now that the child is involved. 137. + 138. Statement # 59: Advisors Score: 84You still don't know what he was doing with the money. 139. + 140. Statement # 60: Advisors Score: 55Would it be OK if everyone did this kind of thing? 141. + 142. Statement # 61: Advisors Score: 95Right is right, wrong is wrong. 143. + 144. Statement # 62: Advisors Score: 91This is bigger than you, so just keep quiet. 145. + 146. Statement # 63: Advisors Score: 84It would be wrong to report the story without saying what the money was for. 147. + 148. Please take one minute to briefly describe on your answer sheet any difficulties you may have experienced during this section. Otherwise, you may wait for the next section to begin. 149. + 150. Scenario 6: Richard My brother Richard has been dating Amy for two years. They have talked casually about getting married after college. We all go to the same college and see each other frequently. Early this morning I saw Amy kissing my neighbor Michael as she was leaving his apartment. Obviously Amy had spent the night at his place. 151. + 152. Statement # 64: Advisors Score: 97Treat your siblings as you wish to be treated. 153. + 154. Statement # 65: Advisors Score: 81If your brother didnt look out for your interests, who would? 155. + 156. Statement # 66: Advisors Score: 55Friends before girls. 157. + 158. Statement # 67: Advisors Score: 97Put yourself in your brothers place. 159. + 160. Statement # 68: Advisors Score: 84Would you be hurt if someone didnt warn you? 161. + 162. Statement # 69: Advisors Score: 81If your brother didnt look out for your interests, who would? 163. + 164. Statement # 70: Advisors Score: 55You should always put the feelings of your relatives first. 165. + 166. Statement # 71: Advisors Score: 95If this is an open relationship, you need not intervene. 167. + 168. Statement # 72: Advisors Score: 81Anyone cheated in a relationship deserves to know. 169. + 170. Statement # 73: Advisors Score: 55A relationship should be fair to both people involved. 171. + 172. Statement # 74: Advisors Score: 95Its only fair when everyone involved knows everything important. 173. + 174. Statement # 75: Advisors Score: 81He should know the truth even if it makes him angry. 175. + 176. Statement # 76: Advisors Score: 39The truth must come out. 177. + 178. Statement # 77: Advisors Score: 95Consider the importance of knowledge versus protection. 179. + 180. Statement # 78: Advisors Score: 84Trust Richard and Amy to work out their own relationship. 181. + 182. Statement # 79: Advisors Score: 49Ask Amy to inform Richard of the circumstances. 183. + 184. Statement # 80: Advisors Score: 95It is wrong to cheat on a loved one. 185. + 186. Please take one minute to briefly describe on your answer sheet any difficulties you may have experienced during this section. Otherwise, you may wait for the next section to begin. 187. + 188. Scenario 7: Parents My parents, after 30 years of a somewhat rocky marriage, are going through a divorce. My mother has been involved with another man for several years and has decided to leave the marriage. She seems very happy with her decision. Each of my parents wants me to spend semester break at his or her particular home, but my father will be very upset if I go to my mothers because her friend will be there. 189. + 190. Statement # 81: Advisors Score: 97What if your father was the one seeing someone else? 191. + 192. Statement # 82: Advisors Score: 81Dad should get over it. 193. + 194. Statement # 83: Advisors Score: 49You need both parents in your life. 195. + 196. Statement # 84: Advisors Score: 95Kids should not be forced to choose. 197. + 198. Statement # 85: Advisors Score: 84You should help your father to understand. 199. + 200. Statement # 86: Advisors Score: 55You're not replacing your father. 201. + 202. Statement # 87: Advisors Score: 95Shouldn't the mother be allowed to date? 203. + 204. Statement # 88: Advisors Score: 81There is no reason to be ashamed of either parent. 205. + 206. Statement # 89: Advisors Score: 49You need to choose a side. 207. + 208. Statement # 90: Advisors Score: 91Talk to your dad and he will understand. 209. + 210. Please take one minute to briefly describe on your answer sheet any difficulties you may have experienced during this section. Otherwise, you may wait for the next section to begin. 211. + 212. This concludes the task. Thank you for your participation.