Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 
 

Files

File List


Graduation_MA Thesis_Will Schutt.pdf (1.31 MB)

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Finding clarity through conscience: Links between religion/spirituality, beliefs about the conscience, and moral judgment

Schutt, William Andrew
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1631010621711292

Abstract Details

, Master of Arts, Case Western Reserve University, Psychology.
How do people decide whether or not to follow their conscience? Their decisions may depend partly on the beliefs people have about how important and reliable their conscience is. These beliefs, in turn, might be affected by religious and spiritual beliefs. I examined these ideas among adults active on Amazon Mechanical Turk (N = 305). This research required the creation of several new items, including sanctification of the conscience, beliefs about God and the devil’s ability to influence the conscience, beliefs about the importance of the conscience, beliefs about the reliability of the conscience, and beliefs about how often people follow their conscience. All new variables showed good preliminary reliability and validity, and were expected to associate in meaningful ways. Results showed that most people view their conscience as very important and reliable, and most participants reported following their conscience often when making decisions. Several path analyses revealed that higher religiosity predicts tendencies to sanctify the conscience and believe that God and the devil can influence the conscience; more sanctification of the conscience predicts beliefs about higher importance and reliability of the conscience; and believing that the conscience is very important and very reliable predicts following the conscience more often. In sum, people’s readiness to follow their conscience appears to depend, in part, on religiosity and the beliefs people have about their conscience. These findings, coupled with other research on the conscience and moral judgment, help to explain why some people report following their conscience often while others do not.
Julie Exline (Advisor)
Sarah Hope Lincoln (Committee Member)
Norah Feeny (Committee Member)
82 p.
Psychology; Religion; Spirituality
conscience; religion; spirituality; morality; sanctification

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Schutt, W. A. (2021). Finding clarity through conscience: Links between religion/spirituality, beliefs about the conscience, and moral judgment [Master's thesis, Case Western Reserve University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1631010621711292

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Schutt, William. Finding clarity through conscience: Links between religion/spirituality, beliefs about the conscience, and moral judgment. 2021. Case Western Reserve University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1631010621711292.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Schutt, William. "Finding clarity through conscience: Links between religion/spirituality, beliefs about the conscience, and moral judgment." Master's thesis, Case Western Reserve University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1631010621711292

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

case1631010621711292
16
© 2021, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies and OhioLINK.