The Power of Language: Study of How Language Influences Moral Decisions

Prcic, Milena (2025) The Power of Language: Study of How Language Influences Moral Decisions. Undergraduate thesis, Dublin, National College of Ireland.

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Abstract

Aims: Previous findings suggest that language influences moral decisions, with native language providing stronger utilitarian decisions, while foreign language provides stronger deontological ones. The current study sought to provide a greater understanding of the Foreign Language Effect and investigate how moral decisions are affected by this phenomenon. This study also examined the difference between gender and types of environments in the prevalence of making utilitarian decisions.

Method: The Moral Dilemmas Questionnaire was administered to two groups of participants (total n=160) through a random allocation link that assigned participants to either Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian or English language groups. Both groups received the same questionnaire but in two different languages. Independent sample t-test and one-way between groups ANOVA were administrated using SPSS version 28.0.1.1.

Results: The results showed no significant effect between language, gender, environment, and moral judgements. However, age was found to be a significant factor, with middle-aged adults making stronger deontological moral decisions.

Conclusion: Findings suggest that language on its own might not be the greatest predictor of making different moral decisions in different languages. Other factors such as age, culture, heuristics, personality differences, family history, etc., might influence the prior findings. Further research using different research methods, such as longitudinal studies and qualitative analysis, might have a better understanding of the Foreign Language Effect.

Item Type:	Thesis (Undergraduate)
Supervisors:	Name Email Kracen, Amanda UNSPECIFIED
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman > Gender P Language and Literature > P Philology. Linguistics > Semiotics > Language. Linguistic theory
Divisions:	School of Business (- 2025) > BA (Honours) in Psychology
Depositing User:	Ciara O'Brien
Date Deposited:	11 Nov 2025 13:44
Last Modified:	11 Nov 2025 13:44
URI:	https://norma.ncirl.ie/id/eprint/8912

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