Abstract:

Cleanliness is next to godliness. Although the metaphorical association between physical cleansing and moral concepts has been widely confirmed, it remains unclear whether the concept of cleanliness in different cultures affects moral cognition. The concept of cleanliness includes a sense of physical cleanliness and a sense of spiritual purification. Previous research has found that physical cleanliness (e.g., hand washing) can make moral judgments more severe. On the other hand, Dai culture endows the water splashing ceremony with a sense of spiritual purification. Water splashing as a ritual of interaction with others can purify both themselves and others. Therefore, it may make moral judgment less severe. Additionally, a threat to one’s moral purity induces the need to cleanse oneself. However, the difference between eastern and western cultures affects the choice of cleaning method. In Eastern culture, face represents dignity and achievement as a symbol of social self-image. Therefore, people in face cultures may choose face washing to remove the sense of guiltiness while Dai people may choose the water splashing ceremony. To clarify the influence of cleanliness concepts in different cultures on moral judgment and preference for cleaning methods and contrast the effects of spiritual purification and physical cleanliness, four experiments were conducted. In experiment 1, 58 middle school students were randomly selected, including 31 Dai (14 males) and 28 Han (17 males). The semantic priming paradigm was used to explore whether face washing, hand washing, and water splashing could activate the participants’ sense of cleanliness.

In experiment 2, 183 Dai (92 males) and 189 Han (97 males) participants were recruited to explore the effect of priming on moral judgment. The number of participants in each group was as follows: control group (47 Dai, 46 Han), hand washing priming group (45 Dai, 48 Han), face washing priming group (47 Dai, 48 Han), and water splashing priming group (44 Dai, 47 Han). In experiment 3, 363 Dai (107 males) participants were recruited to explore the effect of clean concepts on moral judgment. The number of participants in each group was as follows: control group (45), hand washing cleaning group (44), face washing cleaning group (43), water splashing cleaning group (48), hand washing purification group (44), face washing purification group (47), water splashing purification group (46), and water splashing over evil and bring good fortune group (46). In experiment 4, 200 Dai (108 males) and 200 Han (102 males) middle school students were randomly recruited to explore the participants’ preference for cleaning methods after recalling immoral events.

The study used SPSS 24 to perform analysis. The results of experiment 1 found that water splashing activated the Dai people’s sense of cleanliness, but had no effect on the Han people. Hands washing and face washing activated the sense of cleanliness in both groups. Experiment 2 showed that water splashing made Dai participants’ moral judgments less severe, but no effect was found in the Han groups. Hand washing and face washing made the Dai people and Han people’s moral judgment more severe. The results of experiment 3 showed that Dai people had a sense of spiritual purification of the water splashing ceremony. That is, the purification effect of water splashing made their moral judgments less severe. Hand washing and face washing activated the sense of physical cleanliness, which made the moral judgment more severe. In experiment 4, Dai participants preferred to splash water to purify their sense of immorality after recalling immoral events, while Han participants preferred washing their faces.

Taken together, there are cultural differences in the concept of cleanliness. Dai people regard water splashing as an important method of cleaning. The sense of spiritual purification endowed by culture to cleaning method that makes Dai people separate themselves from immorality. Spiritual cleanliness is different from physical cleanliness, it can more effectively eliminate the sense of immorality.

Key words: water splashing, culture, cleanliness concept, cleaning method, moral judgment

摘要： 本研究探讨不同清洁方式对傣族群体道德判断和行为偏好的影响。实验1通过语义启动范式,发现泼水语句能够激活傣族被试的洁净感,却对汉族被试无影响。实验2采用情境启动范式,发现在泼水情境下傣族被试的道德判断更加宽松,但对汉族被试无影响,而洗手、洗脸使傣族和汉族被试的道德判断更加严厉。实验3发现,泼水对傣族被试道德判断的影响来自心灵净化感,而洗手、洗脸对道德判断的影响来自身体清洁感。实验4发现,傣族被试在回忆不道德事件后更偏好选择泼水,而汉族被试更偏好洗脸。整个研究表明,傣文化赋予泼水的心灵净化功能使傣族被试的道德判断更加宽松,也使其青睐用泼水的方式洗去不道德感。

关键词: 泼水, 文化, 清洁方式, 洁净观念, 道德判断