MOM 2006 journal for pdf.pmd - University of Michigan-Flint

(Gough, 1957). Because individuals high in socialization are expected to be more empathic of
characters caught in a moral dilemma, hypothesis 3 predicted that individuals with higher scores
(lower sociopathy) would be more likely to give a lower level of punishment to hypothetical
“immoral” characters in Kohlberg’s Moral Dilemmas.
Method
Participants and Scales
The sample consisted of 105 undergraduate students (20 males and 85 females) who
volunteered for the study to earn credit for an introductory psychology course. Machiavellianism
was determined by scores on the Mach V Scale (Christie, 1969), a test that uncovers
Machiavellian traits by having participants rate statements culled from The Prince and The
Discourses by Niccolo Machiavelli. Subjects rate 20 sets of 3 statements, indicating one
statement that is “most true” and one that is “most false” for them. Scores can range from 40-160
with higher scores indicating higher Mach levels.
Levels of sociopathy were determined by scores on the Socialization Scale (So) of the CPI
(Gough, 1957). Scores on the So scale reflect empathy for others and the degree to which a
person accepts and adheres to social norms. Subjects’ scores fall on a continuum from highly
socialized (highest scores) to highly antisocial (i.e., sociopathic).
Measures
Kohlberg’s Moral Dilemmas (Colby et al., 1987) consist of four hypothetical stories about
individuals in moral dilemmas and their subsequent behavior. Each story is followed by one
question asking about assignment of blame and a second indicating level of punishment that the
individual should receive. The Prisoner’s Dilemma game (Goren & Bornstein, 2000) requires
each subject to choose to either cooperate or not with an opponent in order to maximize points
earned. The game was programmed to include a “random” opportunity to cheat.
Procedures
Two participants who had been waiting together for the experiment to begin were led into
separate laboratory rooms. They were asked to read and complete a consent form and to write
their name and address on an envelope, so that the test results and a debriefing letter could be
sent to them. All questionnaires and moral dilemmas were programmed on lab PCs. The first
questionnaire asked for demographic information (age, college major, and gender). The Mach V,
Kohlberg Moral stories, and CPl-So scale were given in a random order, followed by the
prisoner’s dilemma game. Participants were led to believe they were playing the participant in the
other room. This was done using a randomly timed screen that appeared to be waiting for the
other player. Additionally, after every game entry, the computer would randomly pause between
two and four seconds to give the impression that the other player was selecting an answer. Upon
completion, participants were thanked for their participation and excused.
Meeting of Minds 2006 43