Luppo Kuillman

Moral reasoning explained by personality traits 71 3 is not new, it is consistent with (albeit stronger than) the effect as shown in a study by Carroll (2009). This repeated result demonstrates the robustness of Bandura’s theoretical assumption when applied to a different population. Furthermore, the outcomes of this study provide novel evidence that Stability and Plasticity have an indirect effect on the level of moral reasoning through moral disengagement. The mediating effect of moral disengagement on the relationship between Stability and Plasticity with moral reasoning has never been examined before. Although the results show that Stability and Plasticity both have an indirect effect on moral reasoning through moral disengagement, we can only conclude that moral disengagement is an explanatory factor in the trait-moral reasoning relationship for Stability and not for Plasticity, since no direct effect between Plasticity and moral reasoning was found. Thus, our findings suggest that stable people reason on a higher moral level because they are more able to exert moral self-control. This higher moral self-control is plausible considering the characteristics of the Stability personality type, because of the tendencies to be more self-disciplined, persistent, thorough, responsible, consistent in emotions and social interaction and sensitive to interpersonal conflicts. Possessing such qualities might mean that stable people can more strongly inhibit themselves from engaging in self-serving cognitive morally disengaging strategies and can thus remain at a mature level of moral reasoning. Although we also found that Plasticity has an indirect effect on moral reasoning through moral disengagement, Plasticity does not exert a direct effect on moral reasoning. Therefore, we are reluctant to conclude that Plasticity’s effect on moral reasoning is mediated by moral disengagement. That may be the case, but it may also be mediated by other factors working in the opposite direction. For example, Plasticity may increase creativity, which decreases moral reasoning since creative people are more likely to think of moral rationalizations for immoral actions (Gino & Ariely 2012). However, more research is needed to investigate such possible confounders. Practical implications Working as a healthcare professional is demanding. The challenges arising from economic constraints imposed by health insurers - as well as factors such as the increasing demands of employers and increasingly empowered patients, in contrast