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From washing hands to washing consciences and polishing reputations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 February 2021

Matthieu Légeret  and
Ulrich Hoffrage Open the ORCID record for Ulrich Hoffrage [Opens in a new window]
Matthieu Légeret
Affiliation:
Faculty of Business and Economics (HEC), University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. matthieu.legeret@unil.ch; ulrich.hoffrage@unil.ch https://hecnet.unil.ch/hec/recherche/fiche?pnom=mlegeret&dyn_lang=enhttps://hecnet.unil.ch/hec/recherche/fiche?pnom=uhoffrage&dyn_lang=en
Ulrich Hoffrage
Affiliation:
Faculty of Business and Economics (HEC), University of Lausanne, CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland. matthieu.legeret@unil.ch; ulrich.hoffrage@unil.ch https://hecnet.unil.ch/hec/recherche/fiche?pnom=mlegeret&dyn_lang=enhttps://hecnet.unil.ch/hec/recherche/fiche?pnom=uhoffrage&dyn_lang=en
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Abstract

While Lee and Schwarz propose grounded procedures of separation as an explanation for physical cleansing in various domains (e.g., washing one's hands), we suggest that separation can also account for behavioral cleansing aimed at washing consciences and polishing reputations. We discuss this extension in terms of degrees of behavioral cleansing, motivations, and intentions behind cleansing, and social settings.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 44 , 2021 , e15
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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