Which term is used for the idea of building up good person points before allowing oneself to misbehave?

• A. Moral Licensing
• B. Risk Compensation
• C. Confirmation Bias
• D. Negativity Bias

Answer: (A)

Moral licensing is the idea that people accumulate good deeds or moral points and then feel licensed to misbehave or justify less ethical choices. After doing something virtuous, a person may sense moral balance and feel less constrained about later actions that would normally be frowned upon, rationalizing them by balancing the scales with prior good acts. This isn’t about adjusting risk after feeling safer (risk compensation), nor about seeking information to confirm preconceptions (confirmation bias), or about focusing on negative information (negativity bias). The scenario specifically describes earning moral credits before indulging in misconduct, which is what moral licensing captures.