Essay

Based on the study by Schnall and colleagues on disgust and moral judgments, describe the initial main effect found by the researchers, the interacting variable that qualified this main effect, and how simple effects analyses were used to clarify the interaction.

Question: Based on the study by Schnall and colleagues on disgust and moral judgments, describe the initial main effect found by the researchers, the interacting variable that qualified this main effect, and how simple effects analyses were used to clarify the interaction.

Sample answer: Initially, a main effect indicated that participants in a messy room made harsher moral judgments due to disgust. However, an interaction showed that this effect depended on the participant's level of private body consciousness. By using simple effects analyses to examine the effect of disgust at each level of private body consciousness, the researchers demonstrated that disgust increased the harshness of moral judgments only for individuals high in private body consciousness, while it had no effect on those low in private body consciousness.

Key points:

  • Recall that the initial main effect showed disgust (messy room) led to harsher moral judgments.
  • Identify private body consciousness as the moderator/interacting variable that qualified the main effect.
  • Recall that simple effects analyses looked at the effect of disgust at each level of private body consciousness.
  • State that disgust increased harsh moral judgments only for individuals high in private body consciousness.
  • State that disgust had no effect on moral judgments for individuals low in private body consciousness.

Rubric: The answer must recall: 1) the initial main effect (messy room/disgust leading to harsher moral judgments); 2) the interacting/moderating variable (private body consciousness); and 3) the specific findings of the simple effects analyses (disgust increased harsh judgments only for high private body consciousness, but had no effect for low private body consciousness).

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Updated 2026-05-26

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Research Methods in Psychology - 4th American Edition @ KPU

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