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Moral Licensing Effect

Good deeds give us "permission" to be bad

The Paradox

After doing something good, your moral "bank account" feels full. Subconsciously, you feel you've earned the right to indulge in less virtuous behavior. This works across domains: charity → rudeness, healthy eating → splurging. Even imagining doing good creates the license! Research by Hofmann found this pattern in people's everyday behavior—a morning good deed predicts an afternoon slip.

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Morning: The Subway
You're on a crowded subway. An elderly woman is standing while all seats are taken. A young person is sitting in the priority seat, absorbed in their phone.
Your "Moral Balance"
Depleted Neutral Credit
Moral License Level: Neutral

The Mechanism

Moral Credentials: Good acts establish you as "a good person." Once established, occasional lapses don't threaten that identity.

Moral Credits: Like a bank account—you deposit virtue, then feel entitled to make withdrawals.

Cross-Domain Effect: The license transfers! Recycling → Ruder to waitstaff. Charity → Less environmental concern. Domains are fungible.

Prospective Licensing: Even planning to donate blood tomorrow increases racist attitudes today (Cascio & Plant, 2015).