The effect of black or white clothing on self-perception of morality

Abstract

Morality influences our judgments of right or wrong in society, and it is in turn influenced by external factors. In this study, we examined the effect of clothing in morality judgment. Based on the fact that morality is often implicated with the colors black and white, we investigated whether black or white clothing influence the wearers’ self-perception of morality. The participants were asked to wear black or white clothing, and then were administered an Implicit Association Test (IAT) measuring his/her implicit morality. In addition, they explicitly rated their own morality. The results showed that participants wearing white were more likely to judge themselves as being more moral in both implicit and explicit terms than those wearing black. We discussed the processes underlying the effects of the color of clothing on self-perception of morality, and the factors that affect this.