A new study published in the MIT journal “Open Mind” finds that people judge whether someone has the moral standing to blame others, based on their own past behavior. Across five studies with over 1,300 Americans, researchers discovered:

  • If someone has broken the same rule in the past, people are less likely to see them as justified in blaming others.
  • But if they never had the chance to break the rule, they’re more likely to be seen as having the right to blame.

Bottom line: It’s not just about what you say, but whether you’ve lived by it.

Want to be heard when you speak up? Make sure your actions match your words.

Source: Ghezae et al., 2025. On the Perception of Moral Standing to Blame. Open Mind, 9: 138–168.