Moral Judgment by Criminals and Conformists as a Tool for Examination of Sociological Predictions

Abstract

This study illustrates how predictions from sociological approaches might be operationalized using a psychological measure, moral judgment. A prediction based on Merton's anomia theory, that offenses elicit greatest justification when the importance of a socioeconomic goal is high and availability of means to achieve that goal is low, was investigated. The design was a multifactorial manipulation of the goal and availability of means as well as other relevant factors. Results from this experimental procedure were examined on the background of data from Eysenck's personality questionnaire. The findings point to interactive effects of the importance of a goal, of availability of means and severity of offenses on justification for those offenses.