不道德行为中道德标准对自我欺骗的影响: 来自ERP的证据

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2025.1414

摘要/Abstract

摘要： 本研究旨在通过事件相关电位技术探讨不道德行为中自我欺骗的心理作用及其神经机制, 特别是探究道德标准对自我欺骗的抑制作用。实验1考察不道德行为中自我欺骗的内在神经机制。实验1通过发送者-接受者范式诱发被试的不道德行为, 并通过个体对未知随机概率值的预测来测量自我欺骗。行为结果发现, 在欺骗试次中, 被试选择低于真实信念的比例显著高于在诚实试次中的比例。脑电结果发现, 相比于诚实试次, 被试在欺骗试次中会诱发更大的P2、N2以及P300成分。实验2通过道德标准启动任务, 探讨对道德标准的关注如何影响自我欺骗。行为结果显示, 在控制条件下, 被试在欺骗试次中选择低于真实信念的比例显著大于诚实试次中诚实试次中的比例。脑电结果显示, 在道德标准启动条件下, 欺骗试次诱发的P2和N2成分显著低于诚实试次。这些研究结果可能表明在不道德行为中, 个体易于形成虚假信念导致自我欺骗, 而关注道德标准能有效抑制此类现象的发生。

关键词: 我欺骗, 不道德行为, 道德标准, 信念, 事件相关电位

Abstract: Self-deception refers to an individual's motivated distortion of facts, resulting in false beliefs that contradict true beliefs and deviate from reality. Self-deception is a complex, widespread psychological phenomenon. While research often emphasizes its positive effects, its negative impacts on mental health, behavior, and society—particularly within the moral domain—should not be overlooked. As self-deception is pervasive in immoral behavior, it exacerbates immoral conduct and leads to serious consequences. Therefore, studying the inhibitory effect of moral standards on self-deception is crucial for understanding its broader implications.
This study aims to explore the psychological role and neural mechanisms of self-deception in immoral behavior using event-related potential (ERP) technology, focusing on how moral standards inhibit self-deception. Experiment 1 investigates the neural basis of self-deception in immoral behavior. In this experiment, immoral behavior was induced in participants using the sender-receiver paradigm, and self-deception was measured through participants' predictions of random probability values. Behavioral results revealed that, in deception trials, participants were significantly more likely to make predictions that underestimated their true beliefs compared to honest trials. EEG results showed that, compared to honest trials, deception trials evoked larger N2 and P300 components. Further analysis found that in the centroparietal and parietal regions, deception trials elicited larger P2 components compared to honest trials. Experiment 2 employed a moral standards priming task to investigate how attention to moral standards influences self-deception, aiming to compare behavioral responses and EEG amplitude differences between experimental and control groups. Under control conditions, behavioral results indicated that participants in deception trials were significantly more likely to make predictions that underestimated their true beliefs compared to honest trials. EEG results showed that, under the moral standards priming condition, the P2 and N2 components elicited during deception trials were significantly lower than those in honest trials. These findings suggest that in immoral behavior, participants are more prone to forming false beliefs, leading to self-deception. Enhanced attention to moral standards can effectively reduce self-deception.
This study explored the psychological role and neural mechanisms of self-deception in immoral behavior through two experiments, focusing on how moral standards inhibit it. Experiment 1 revealed that immoral behavior facilitates self-deception, while Experiment 2 confirmed that increasing attention to moral standards significantly reduces the tendency for self-deception, as shown by reduced false beliefs, cognitive conflict, and emotional motivation. The results support the self-concept maintenance theory, indicating that moral standards effectively inhibit self-deception by interfering with the rationalization process. This study provides valuable insights into the mechanisms of self-deception and suggests novel approaches for moral interventions.

Key words: self-deception, immoral behavior, moral standards, beliefs, event-related potentials

中图分类号:

范伟, 杨颖, 郭希亚, 林卓铭, 钟毅平. (2025). 不道德行为中道德标准对自我欺骗的影响: 来自ERP的证据. 心理学报, 57(8), 1414-1436.

FAN Wei, YANG Ying, GUO Xiya, LIN Zhuoming, ZHONG Yiping. (2025). The effect of ethical standards on self-deception in unethical behavior: Evidence from ERP. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 57(8), 1414-1436.

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