Evaluates observer perceptions of an employee's or executive's moral character using four bipolar adjective pairs. Items span dimensions of morality (immoral/moral), integrity (corrupt/honest), honesty (deceptive/upright), and organisational impact (harmful/helpful to the company). Used as a manipulation check in a study where participants read a news story about a CEO's behaviour, with the scale confirming that different story versions produced distinct moral evaluations. The near-perfect reliability (.98) reflects strong convergence among the bipolar items.
9-point semantic differential scale
Full scale items shown. Always cite the original source when using this scale in research.
Semantic differential format (9-point bipolar). Insert a role label (e.g., 'CEO', 'employee', 'manager') in the blank. Scale items were confirmed via personal correspondence with lead author. Originally a manipulation check; further validity evidence recommended for substantive use.
Dong, P., & Zhong, C.B. (2017). Witnessing moral violations increases conformity in consumption. Journal of Consumer Research, 44(4), 778–793.
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