Why does someone's hard work serve as a heuristic of their moral character?

Abstract

People tend to attribute positive moral characteristics to those they perceive as being particularly hard-working. However, empirical evidence indicates that this attribution is premature and unjustified. Everything suggests that the perception of an individual as very hard-working serves as a heuristic, enabling a quick, albeit crude, assessment of their global moral character. The present study analyses the possible origins of this phenomenon and the evidence reported to date and explores possible explanations and theoretical and practical implications. The phenomenon may partly be due to the strong influence of the protestant work ethic that is so dominant in Western society. Although empirical evidence regarding this phenomenon is still scarce, the extant literature clearly supports its presence, at least in the occupational field in the United States. Another possible explanation for this phenomenon may be linked to the availability heuristic, as well as to other closely related phenomena, such as, the illusory correlation and the halo effect. Based on the availability heuristic, an illusory correlation is established between hard work and moral character. For its part, the halo effect contributes to the development of a positive view of the individual in unknown fields, such as the moral one, based on their valuable performance at work. As with other heuristics, the phenomenon analysed here may involve a series of biases. Although, in this case, the judgment made about an individual's moral character based on the heuristic is benevolent, its use may have very harmful effects, both in general and in the moral field. We should consequently be aware of its presence to avoid its possible negative influence.