Sociodemographic Characteristics of Sample 2.

The study of utilitarian inclinations is probably the most experimentally investigated aspect of morality. The Oxford Utilitarianism Scale has been developed to provide a self-report tool for reliable measurement of utilitarian views while addressing serious methodological issues with previous measures. In this study, we have translated and validated a German version of the Oxford Utilitarianism Scale (OUS-DE). The scale consists of two subscales: Impartial Beneficence (IB-DE) and Instrumental Harm (IH-DE). We conducted a procedure in a general German sample (NS1 = 378, 243 women, Mage = 25.37) before the Covid-19 pandemic. A confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a good fit of a two-factor model for OUS-DE, while internal consistency and construct reliability were acceptable. Both in the pre-pandemic and the post-pandemic sample (NS2 = 348, 206 women, Mage = 24.61) we found a sex/gender difference, with women scoring significantly higher in the IB-DE subscale than men. We also found that the mean agreement with the IB-DE subscale decreased after the pandemic. In a separate third sample (NS3 = 39, 19 women, Mage = 23.72), we observed an inverse U-shape relationship between moral behavior related to quarantine requirements and the IH-DE subscale, as measured during the peak pandemic restrictions in late 2020. Repeated OUS-DE measurement in this sample showed stability in responders’ utilitarian beliefs post-pandemic. In sum, OUS-DE is the first available measurement of utilitarian inclinations in German. The scale will enable further research on how utilitarian preconceptions affect behavior in German-speaking populations.

对功利主义倾向的研究，或许是道德领域中经实验探究最为深入的研究面向。牛津功利主义量表（Oxford Utilitarianism Scale）旨在开发一款自陈式测量工具，以可靠测量个体的功利主义观点，同时解决既往测量工具存在的诸多严重方法学缺陷。本研究完成了该量表德语版（OUS-DE）的翻译与效度验证工作，该量表包含两个子维度：公正利他分量表（Impartial Beneficence, IB-DE）与工具性伤害分量表（Instrumental Harm, IH-DE）。研究团队于新冠疫情大流行前，招募普通德语人群样本完成施测（样本1：NS1=378，其中女性243人，平均年龄25.37岁）；验证性因素分析结果显示，OUS-DE的双因子模型拟合度良好，内部一致性与结构信度均处于可接受水平。在疫情前与疫情后样本（样本2：NS2=348，其中女性206人，平均年龄24.61岁）中，均发现了显著的性别差异：女性在IB-DE分量表上的得分显著高于男性，同时研究发现疫情后人群对IB-DE分量表题项的平均同意度有所下降。在独立的第三批样本（样本3：NS3=39，其中女性19人，平均年龄23.72岁）中，我们于2020年末疫情管控峰值期间施测，发现与防疫隔离要求相关的道德行为与IH-DE分量表得分之间呈倒U型关联；对该样本进行的OUS-DE复测结果显示，疫情后被试的功利主义信念保持稳定。综上，OUS-DE是首款可用于德语人群的功利主义倾向测量工具，该量表将为探究德语区人群中功利主义先验信念如何影响其行为的相关研究提供支撑。