The Effect Of Scarcity On Immoral Behavior And Its Mechanisms

Scarcity is a subjective sensation that one has less of something than one need.Previous studies have found that scarcity can affect people's behavior and decisionmaking,resulting in many adverse consequences.Among them,its impact on immoral behavior is particularly prominent and important.Why scarcity people show more immoral behavior? What is the reason for that? In this paper,we focus on the impact of scarcity on immoral behavior and their mechanism.Through three studies,we expect to provide some theoretical contributions and practical suggestions for scarcity psychology.Study 1 invited 218 working staffs to complete the scales.We measure their sense of scarcity and immoral behavior tendency.The results show that scarcity can positively predict immoral behavior.Study 2 explored the possible mediating mechanism in the influence of scarcity on immoral behavior.The experiment involved 100 college subjects.The subjects were randomly assigned to the scarcity group and the control group.After manipulating the scarcity state,the immoral behavior was assessed by visual perception task,and episodic future thinking was measured to test its mediating role.The results again proved the effect of scarcity on immoral behavior.However,episodic future thinking does not play a mediating role.Study 3 continued to explore the possible mediating factors.The experiment involved 125 college subjects.Firstly,we manipulate scarcity.Then,immoral behavior,desire for money and competition were measured.The results show that the desire for money plays a mediating role in the influence of scarcity on immoral behavior,while competition does not play a mediating role.Research conclusion: 1.Scarcity can significantly predict the occurrence of immoral behavior,and the higher scarcity,the more immoral behavior.2.The desire for money serves as a mediating role in the effect of scarcity on immoral behavior.3.Episodic future thinking and competition did not play an intermediary role in the impact of scarcity on immoral behaviors.