Table 4. Most and least acceptable justifications for betraying a friend's confidence.1

  Mean Scores 2, 3
Most Acceptable Justifications Total Sample Males Females
believed that telling the secret would enable her friend to get help 2.17 2.07 2.21
revealed the secret without revealing the identity of the person involved 1.79 1.81 1.77
had not meant to tell her friends secretÄit just "slipped out" 1.51 1.55 1.48
was from a culture where people routinely share information about others 1.43 1.48 1.39
Least Acceptable Justifications  
would be the center of attention if she told 1.08 1.14 1.03
was sure her friend would not find out 1.10 1.17 1.06
had divulged other secrets before and had "gotten away" with it 1.12 1.17 1.10
knew her friend wouldn't do anything if she found out 1.12 1.22 1.06

1 Items given from vignette with female transgressor

2 1 = totally unacceptable, 2 = somewhat unaccepatable, 3 = somewhat acceptable, 4 = totally acceptable

3 SDs: Total sample .37 - .98, Males .46 - .97, Females .20 - .97