Taste of Morality – How morality modulates sensory experiences

Abstract Morality affects human behaviour in manifold ways. But can it be tasted? To answer this question, we run a double-blind controlled sensory laboratory experiment to explore how morality impacts the marketing placebo effect (MPE). This effect arises when marketing actions influence the sensory experiences associated with using a product without physically changing it. In our experiment we apply labels for the credence attribute of animal welfare as such a marketing placebo, showing that these marketing actions are able to generate a MPE and, thus, affect the tasting experience on an individual level. More importantly, we find inter-individual differences that can be explained by the individual’s degree of morality.