The colour spectrum of lies

In this reply to Ceci, Burd, and Helm, we discuss future directions for developmental research to (1) study the motivations underlying white lies and (2) how to classify lies that reflect other‐regard and self‐interest simultaneously.     

Turning a blind eye: Meritocracy moderates the impacts of social status on corruption perception

Findings on the effect of social status on corruption perception are mixed. To make sense of the mixed results, three studies were conducted to examine whether meritocracy moderates this effect. In Study 1, we measured all variables using a questionnaire-based correlational design. In the preregistered Study 2, we adopted an experimental design in which we manipulated social status using a false feedback paradigm and measured corruption perception and meritocracy. In Study 3, we manipulated meritocracy using a scrambled sentence task and measured its effect on the relationship between social status and corruption perception. The results consistently demonstrated that meritocracy could moderate the influence of social status on corruption perception. Specifically, social status was negatively associated with corruption perception when meritocracy was weak, whereas the association was not significant when meritocracy was strong. Our results suggest that meritocracy critically affects acknowledgment of the pervasiveness of social injustice and even deters the disadvantaged from fighting against corruption.     

文昌信仰的神谕性训诫研究——以文昌劝善书为中心

劝善书产生于北宋时期,是一种宣传伦理道德、劝诫世人行善去恶并建立道德规范的指导书.文昌信仰是由产生于远古的星宿信仰、晋朝武将张恶子信仰等合流的一种民间信仰.文昌劝善书是以文昌信仰为基础所造做的劝善书,成为明清时期劝善书的主流.本文主要以一些明清时期重要文昌劝善书为例,探讨文昌神谕性的训诫及其对社会的影响.