Opposing torture: Moral conviction and resistance to majority influence

Figures & data

Table 1. Means, standard deviations, and correlations among study variables

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
M	−2.28	3.14	2.91	2.58	3.71	0.50	−0.20	−0.23
SD	0.76	1.16	1.19	1.41	1.02	0.50	1.69	1.67
1. Degree of support for torture (pretest)	–
2. Attitude certainty	−.21**	–
3. Attitude importance	−.23**	.48**	–
4. Religious conviction	−.07	.23**	.24**	–
5. Moral conviction	−.29**	.47**	.53**	.42**	–
6. Social support	.08	−.16*	−.12	−.14	−.12	–
7. Degree of support for torture (group)	.36**	−.16*	−.14	.14	−.21**	−.22**	–
8. Degree of support for torture (private)	.35**	−.20**	−.15	.10	−.23**	−.21**	.91**	–
N = 163 for all study variables expect for private degree of opposition where N = 161. Because only participants who opposed torture were included in laboratory sessions, degree of support for torture ranged from −3 to −1 at pretest, but from −3 to +3 when reporting to the group and in private, with positive numbers indicating greater support.
*p < .05, **p < .01.

Table 2. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses predicting degree of support for torture participants expressed to groups and privately following group interaction

	Support reported to group controlling for pretest attitude		Support reported in private controlling for pretest attitude		Support reported in private controlling for group attitude
Variable	ΔR ^2	b	ΔR ^2	B	ΔR ^2	b
Step 1	.24**		.23**		.84**
Previous position on torture		0.78**		0.73**		0.89**
Attitude certainty		−0.19		−0.26*		−0.08
Attitude importance		−0.10		−0.08		0.01
Religious conviction		0.20*		0.17		−0.01
Social support		−0.86**		−0.81**		−0.07
Step 2	.02*		.02*		.00
Moral conviction		−0.32*		−0.32*		−0.03
Step 3	.00		.00		.00
Social support × Moral conviction		0.14		0.16		0.06
*p < .05. **p < .01.