This research examined the association between materialism and self-interest-triggered moral flexibility, the tendency to change moral judgments based on self-interest. Individuals high on materialism reported a greater discrepancy in the moral judgments of their own and others’ behavior (Study 1), and showed a relatively more negative attitude towards fairness when being fair hindered rather than served their self-interests (Study 2). Studies 3 and 4 (both pre-registered) showed that when faced with moral conflict (equity vs equality in Study 3, and ingroup favoritism vs fairness in Study 4), materialism amplified the tendency to judge the moral values that served (vs interfered with) one’s self-interest as more moral. Implications of these findings for the understanding of how materialists approach morality were discussed.

这项研究检验了唯物主义与自利引发的道德灵活性之间的关联，即基于自利改变道德判断的趋势。高度唯物主义的人报告说，他们对自己和他人行为的道德判断存在更大的差异（研究 1），并且当公平受到阻碍而不是为自己的利益服务时，他们对公平的态度相对消极（研究 2）。研究 3 和 4（均预先注册）表明，当面临道德冲突（研究 3 中的公平与平等，研究 4 中的群体偏爱与公平）时，唯物主义放大了判断所服务的道德价值观的倾向（与干扰) 一个人的自利更符合道德。讨论了这些发现对理解唯物主义者如何接近道德的影响。