Moral Licensing

What is it?

Moral licensing is the psychological phenomenon where past good behavior creates a sense of "moral credits" that permits subsequent questionable behavior. Having done something virtuous, we feel licensed to be less virtuous next time—as if morality were a bank account that can be deposited into and withdrawn from. Research shows that people who refused to make prejudiced statements were more likely to discriminate later; people who expressed egalitarian beliefs felt freer to make stereotyped judgments; those who recalled past charitable acts donated less to charity. The effect extends beyond ethics: after exercising, people often eat more; after buying "green" products, people behave less environmentally. Licensing also works prospectively: intending to be good later can license being bad now. In organizations, moral licensing explains why diversity initiatives sometimes backfire, why companies with strong CSR programs still have ethical lapses, and why individuals who see themselves as ethical may be blind to their own transgressions. Counteracting moral licensing requires treating ethical behavior as reflecting identity rather than earning credits, maintaining consistent standards rather than compensating across domains, and being especially vigilant after feeling virtuous.