Implicit self-concept and moral action

Explicit measures of moral personality are not very successful in predicting specific moral actions. Recent theoretical developments suggest that measures based on associative processes may provide an alternative to improve prediction. In this contribution we have developed an Implicit Association Test (IAT) measure of the Moral vs. Immoral self-concept and used it alongside a direct self-rating of moral personality. In Study 1 this IAT measure uniquely predicted whether participants faithfully reported an outcome implying negative consequences. In Study 2 the IAT moral self-concept predicted an actual moral behavior, while a self-rating explicit personality measure predicted responses to hypothetical moral scenarios. Results are discussed in light of the role played by individual differences in associative structures representing personality and the self-concept. © 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.