The Effect of Cleanliness on Moral Judgement and Purity by Political Affiliation

The study examines factors that influence moral judgment. Past research has indicated that the level of self-assessed cleanliness that was induced via physical cleansing or through a visualization task, has an effect on moral purity and judgment (Zhong et al, 2010). Research conducted on the variation of moral judgments across the political spectrum established 5 sets of moral dimensions: Harm/Care, Fairness/Reciprocity, Ingroup/loyalty, Authority/respect. Amongst these dimensions, liberals, and conservatives demonstrated that they are both groups with moral values but the values themselves varied between the groups (Graham et al, 2009). This research is interested in a more fine-grained analysis by examining if cleanliness is linked to certain moral dimensions. Data will be collected via a Qualtrics survey, where a visualization task will prime either feelings of cleanliness or uncleanliness. Participants will answer a series of questions on the 5 sets of moral dimensions. The aim of the research is to support previous studies and simultaneously enhance our understanding of the priming of cleanliness and its effects on moral judgment and purity