A Note on Moral Licensing and Foot-in-The-Door Effect

18 Pages Posted: 14 Oct 2019

See all articles by Alistair Ulph

Alistair Ulph

The University of Manchester - Faculty of Humanities

Luca Panzone

University of Newcastle - Newcastle University Business School

Denis Hilton

University of Toulouse

Date Written: 2019

Abstract

Literature in economics and psychology on moral behaviour explores the contexts in which people act in ways that are consistent or inconsistent with their past actions. Such inconsistencies appear to violate economists' assumption of rational consumer behaviour. In this note we show that a simple model of rational (utility-maximising) consumer behaviour, in both static and dynamic forms, can explain both consistent and inconsistent behaviour.

Keywords: behavioural consistency, moral self-regulation, moral licensing, consumer behavior, sustainable consumption

JEL Classification: D110, H410, M310, Q560, Q580

Suggested Citation

Ulph, Alistair M. and Panzone, Luca and Hilton, Denis, A Note on Moral Licensing and Foot-in-The-Door Effect (2019). CESifo Working Paper No. 7857, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3467992 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3467992

Alistair M. Ulph (Contact Author)

The University of Manchester - Faculty of Humanities ( email )

Manchester, M13 9PL
United Kingdom

Luca Panzone

University of Newcastle - Newcastle University Business School ( email )

5 Barrack Road
Devonshire Building
NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE, NE1 7RU
United Kingdom

Denis Hilton

University of Toulouse ( email )

41 Allées Jules Guesde - CS 61321
TOULOUSE
France

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