We May Not Be As Ethical As We Think We Are
We May Not Be As Ethical As We Think We Are
When it comes to our behavior, do we always act as we think we should? Read more.
When most of us predict our behavior, we predict we will behave ethically. In one study, individuals were asked to imagine being sexually harassed during a job interview. They predicted they would confront the interviewer and refuse to answer abusive questions. When they were actually in the situation, however, they did not confront the interviewer and they went ahead and answered the abusive questions.
Why might this be the case? Some ethics experts believe we have a “should” self and a “want” self. The “should” self dominates our self-image (how we see ourselves) and how we predict what our behavior will be; the “want” self drives our actions. In the study above, the individuals thought they would stand up to the interviewer. When it came to the real situation, they wanted to get the job so they answered the abusive questions.
In another study, individuals were asked if they would make a contribution to a charity by buying a flower. Most said yes. When the time came, however, many did not do so because of pragmatic issues like not having enough money in their wallet. Lunch won out over the donation.
Experts contend that we tend to think more abstractly when we are predicting our behavior than at the time when we make actual decisions about how to behave. By thinking more abstractly at decision-making time, we can give more voice to our “should” self.
When faced with an ethical dilemma, thinking about values and principles you want to guide your actions and decisions makes your “should” self more powerful. For any ethical decision you are about to make, what principles would others say guided your actions? Is that what you hope they would say?
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