EVALUATIONS OF TRANSGRESSORS: THE ROLES OF INTENTIONS AND MOTIVES OF TRANSGRESSION

Abstract

Although numerous past studies have focused on identifying group membership as the factor that influence individuals’ evaluation of transgressor, not much attention have been given to other factors such as the transgressor’s intentions and motives. This study examined the effects of group membership, motive, and intention of the transgressor on how individuals evaluate transgressors, specifically how one factor might moderate the effects of the other factors on evaluation. Across three different transgressive scenarios, participants’ negative evaluation and behavioural intentions towards the transgressor were captured. While a threeway interaction effect was not captured, results have illustrated that motive moderated the relationship between transgression intention and evaluation of transgressors. Motive had a stronger effect on ambiguous intentions than on deliberate intentions, suggesting that when information about intention is absent, motives strongly influence evaluation. This study hence suggests the possibility that transgressors can escape derogation and punishment by highlighting how their transgression was committed in the group’s interest. Additionally, results also found significant main effects of motive and intention of transgressor on the transgressor evaluations. Harsher evaluations were given when transgressors are found to have self-serving motive or had deliberately committed the transgression. Results found had significant impact to real life scenarios such as how criminal suspects can influence jury decisions.