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  • July 2015
  • Article
  • Psychological Science

The Moral Virtue of Authenticity: How Inauthenticity Produces Feelings of Immorality and Impurity

By: F. Gino, Maryam Kouchaki and Adam D. Galinsky
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Abstract

The current research demonstrates that authenticity is directly linked to morality. Across five experiments, we found that experiencing inauthenticity consistently led participants to feel more immoral and impure. This inauthenticity→feeling immoral link produced an increased desire to cleanse oneself and to engage in moral compensation by behaving prosocially. We established the role that impurity played in these effects through mediation and moderation. We found that inauthenticity-induced cleansing and compensatory helping were driven by heightened feelings of impurity rather than from the psychological discomfort of dissonance. Similarly, physically cleansing oneself eliminated the relationship between inauthenticity and prosocial compensation. Finally, we demonstrated additional evidence for discriminant validity: These effects were not driven by general negative experiences (i.e., failing a test) but were unique to experiences of inauthenticity. These results establish that authenticity is a moral state—that being true to thine own self is experienced as a form of virtue.

Keywords

Moral Sensibility; Emotions

Citation

Gino, F., Maryam Kouchaki, and Adam D. Galinsky. "The Moral Virtue of Authenticity: How Inauthenticity Produces Feelings of Immorality and Impurity." Psychological Science 26, no. 7 (July 2015): 983–996.
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About The Author

Francesca Gino

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
→More Publications

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More from the Authors
  • You Need Two Leadership Gears: Know When to Take Charge and When to Get Out of the Way By: Lindy Greer, Francesca Gino and Robert Sutton
  • Authentic First Impressions Relate to Interpersonal, Social, and Entrepreneurial Success By: David M. Markowitz, Maryam Kouchaki, Francesca Gino, Jeffrey T. Hancock and Ryan L. Boyd
  • Mellody Hobson at Ariel Investments By: Lakshmi Ramarajan and Francesca Gino
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