The impact of moral character evaluations on cheating, emotions, and self-evaluation
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Cheating occasionally occurs in organizations; sometimes, it is not easy to detect. Some organizations, such as schools and companies, may include an assessment of individuals' moral character as part of their assessments. Some people believe that when a person is evaluated as moral, he or she will continue to behave ethically. Conversely, when a person is rated below his or her level, he or she will strive to perform better. This article aims to investigate a person's private response to being assessed by their peers for their moral character. We conducted two experimental studies. Study 1 consisted of two groups. Participants in the high-score group received higher ratings from their peers than themselves, while participants in the low-score group received worse ratings than their own. In the following dice-under-cup game, participants in the high-score group were more likely to cheat than those in the low-score group. Study 2 showed that both groups reported varying satisfaction, happiness, and disappointment. In addition, those in the high-score group were more likely to increase their honesty ratings, while those in the low group did not. Our results suggest that assessments of an individual's moral character may not have desirable outcomes as some people believe.