Aspects of how a moral consciousness functions when there is the possibility of perpetrating an illicit act

Abstract

The article presents the results of a study that show aspects of how a moral consciousness functions under two conditions: admitting the possibility of perpetrating an illicit act and excluding such a possibility. Here, the moral consciousness is operationalized by the mechanisms of moral disengagement, sages of moral development (according to Lawrence Kohlberg). The connection between moral consciousness and Machiavellianism and psychopathy was also analyzed. The results show the difference in how a system of moral consciousness functions when there is a possibility of perpetrating an illicit act and when such a possibility does not exist.