The Moral Case Revisited: Moral Framing as a Double-Edged Sword for Motivating Majority Group Leaders to Support DEI

Employees’ use of moral frames to sell the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives is gaining popularity over business-case frames. Yet, it remains unclear when and why moral framing is effective at motivating majority group leaders (e.g., White, male leaders) to support DEI initiatives. Drawing on the focus theory of normative conduct, I argue that employees’ use of moral frames can be a double-edged sword for motivating majority group leaders to support DEI initiatives. On the one hand, moral framing can heighten majority group leaders’ psychological standing, thereby increasing their support for DEI initiatives. On the other hand, moral framing can trigger psychological reactance for majority group leaders, thereby reducing their support for DEI initiatives. To reconcile these competing pathways, I argue that, when employees emphasize majority group leaders’ problem-solving autonomy concerning how to address DEI issues, moral framing has a stronger effect on psychological standing and a weaker effect on psychological reactance, thus enhancing majority group leaders’ overall support for DEI initiatives. I find support for these predictions across several studies that cover racial and gender equity issues, and discuss theoretical and practical implications.