According to this article, study participants expected to feel guilt after cheating but instead felt positive emotions. In your opinion, what does this say about most people's morality?

Answer:

Nothing. It says literally nothing. It's not so much about the morality of the participants but the situation in which they were placed.

Explanation:

Whilst one might look at this question and come to the immediate conclusion that the participant's guilt of cheating is immoral. First, we must define what immorality is. Immorality is "the state or quality of being immoral; wickedness", Immoral is "not conforming to accepted standards of morality", Morality is "principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior". When we think of being moral, we think of people doing genuinely good things out of the purity of their hearts; however, let's say that a single mother who works two part-time jobs for her toddler also attends a local college to be able to get better job opportunities and whilst her professor has acknowledged they understand her situation, they have no sympathy and continuously make life hard for the woman. The woman has nearly no choice but to cheat on her next exam; however, not because she has malicious intent or because she wants a better grade. She cheats because it's a necessity if she wants to be able to provide a roof, water, food, and comfort to her child and get a job to support them better. This does not come from a place of malice, it comes from a place of desperation that she was driven into by an ignorant professor. Her morals were in the right place but due to the unfortunate circumstance she was in, she felt forced into the bad decision. That being said, one bad decision does not mean immorality.