Neglecting Negligence? The Role of Outcome Bias and Negligence on Moral Luck

The study examines the influences of outcome bias and negligence on moral judgments within the framework of moral luck. Through a conceptual replication using a novel vignette and a between-subjects design, this research explores how different outcomes and levels of perceived negligence affect judgments of punishment, blame, and wrongness. The study engaged 363 participants, manipulating outcome and negligence variables to assess their impact on moral evaluations.

The findings indicate that negative outcomes intensify moral judgments, underscoring the robust influence of outcome bias. While negligence did not significantly moderate the severity of punishment judgments, it substantially mediated the effects of outcomes on perceptions of blame and wrongness. Notably, and contrary to prior findings, this research reveals significant differences in moral evaluations between neutral and negligent conditions, highlighting the contextual variability of negligence perception.

These results suggest that that negligence significantly shapes moral evaluations and that outcome biases are a pervasive influence. This study contributes to the understanding of moral luck and informs practical applications in legal and professional settings, advocating for more nuanced considerations of negligence in moral judgements.