Forgetting past misdeeds to justify future ones

Proven fact: we remember our altruistic behavior more easily than selfish actions or misdeeds that go against our own moral sense. Described as 'unethical amnesia' by scientists, it is generally explained by self-image maintenance. But could these selective oversights, not necessarily conscious, have a more strategic aim? To find out, a team of behavioral economists recruited 1322 volunteers in an online experiment which took place over two sessions.