The Power of Identity Claims: How We Value and Defend the Self

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Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of contents Preface Acknowledgments 1 The Power of Identity Claims The Motivational Power of Identities Identities Differ in Their Power Identity Tests versus Identity Opportunities The Special Status of Moral Identity Summary Notes 2 Defending Identity Claims I Am Fair Fair Dictators Fairness Is in the Eye of the Beholder I Will Be Fair Unless It Means I Lose I Am Honest I Am Not Really a Cheater It Is Not Really Cheating I Am Not Prejudiced That Was Not Prejudice It Was the Alcohol Talking Is Moral Behavior for Private or Public Consumption? Summary Notes 3 Avoiding Identity Tests Avoiding Having to Share Avoiding Requests Avoiding Gifts Avoiding Having to Act Responsibly Avoiding Looking Racist Summary Notes 4 Failing Identity Tests Atoning for Failed Identity Tests Doing Good After Doing Bad Atoning for Hypocrisy Moral Cleansing Effect Accused by Others of Failing an Identity Test Accusations That Our Actions Are Immoral Reacting to Others Who Moralize Behavior That We Do Not Generating Identity Tests for Ourselves Door-in-the-Face Effect Foot-in-the-Door Effect Summary Notes 5 Neutralizing Identity Tests Moral Licensing When Past Action Serves as a Corroborating Defense Witness When Past Action Serves as a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card How Do Credentials and Credits Differ? When Does Past Action Liberate You and When Does It Bind You? Positive versus Non-Negative Identities Revisiting the Foot-in-the-Door Effect Summary Notes 6 Passing Identity Tests How Much Moral Satisfaction Is Enough? How Much Evidence of Moral Credentials Is Enough? How Much Penance Is Enough? Summary Notes 7 Social Identity Tests The Power of Social Identities Fuzzy Social Identities Gender Identity Responding to a Failed Masculinity Identity Test The Power of a Primed Social Identity Summary Notes 8 Incentives and Identity Claims When Do Economic Subsidies Backfire? Nullifying Moral Opportunities Blood Donation Symbolic Rewards versus Monetary Rewards Beyond Blood Donation Identity Strength and Crowding Out What Happens If a Moral Opportunity Disappears? Converting Moral Opportunities to Moral Tests Accepting Lower Wages to Do Good Incentives Affect Who Participates Not Just How Many Do Nullifying Moral Tests Economic Taxes Can Backfire When Do Sticks Work and When Do They Backfire? Fines Work When They Are Deterrence-Based—Not Equity-Based Fines Work When They Eliminate Competing Identity Tests Fines Work When They Reinforce Identity Tests Summary Notes 9 Changing the Identity Relevance of Behavior Making Behavior Identity Relevant Making Public Commitments Making Your Identity Salient Nullifying Identity Tests The Law and Identity Relevance Changing the Meaning of Challenging Bad Actors Summary Notes 10 Final Thoughts The Power of Identity Claims Identity Tests versus Identity Opportunities Cues to the Status of Situations as Identity Opportunities or Identity Tests The Distinction between Identity Opportunities and Tests: What Does It Buy Us? Summary Bibliography Index