Situational Moral Disengagement: Can the Effects of Self-Interest be Mitigated?

Kish-Gephart, Jennifer J.; Detert, James R.; Treviño, Linda Klebe; Baker, Vicki L.; Martin, Seán

doi:10.1007/s10551-013-1909-6

Cited by 133 publications

(101 citation statements)

References 53 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…To our knowledge, this is the first to investigate the relationship between these personality meta‐traits and moral disengagement. While there was already evidence that separate Big Five traits are related to moral disengagement (Fida et al., ; Kish‐Gephart, Detert, Treviño, Baker, & Martin, ; Stevens, ), our data reveal that Stability and Plasticity also predict moral disengagement. These findings also suggest that Stability and Plasticity contribute to moral self‐regulation.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 67%

Moral reasoning explained by personality traits and moral disengagement: A study among Dutch nurse practitioners and physician assistants

Kuilman

Jansen

Middel

et al. 2019

Journal of Advanced Nursing

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aim To explore the direct and indirect effect of the personality meta‐traits ‘Stability’ and ‘Plasticity’ on moral reasoning among nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs). Background Moral reasoning is influenced by being prone to moral disengagement and personality traits. Moral disengagement is observed among professionals in many fields, including healthcare providers. Moral disengagement is known to be provoked by environmental stressors and influenced by certain personality traits. Design A cross‐sectional approach was used including self‐report questionnaires. Methods A convenience sample of Dutch NPs (N = 67) and PAs (N = 88) was surveyed via online questionnaires between January and March 2015, using (a) the Defining Issues Test; (b) the BIG five inventory; and (c) the Moral Disengagement Scale. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was employed for estimating the construct validity of two meta‐traits of personality and to test unidirectional influences on moral reasoning. Results Only the Stability trait was a direct predictor of moral reasoning whereas both Stability and Plasticity were precursors of moral disengagement. Both personality meta‐traits had statistically significant indirect effects on moral reasoning through a low level of moral disengagement. The influence of both personality traits on the level of moral reasoning was increased by strong self‐censure on entering into morally disengaged interactions. Conclusion The personality meta‐trait ‘Stability’ is an indicator of moral reasoning and is explained by a lower propensity to morally disengage among highly stable people. Although the meta‐trait Plasticity exerts an indirect effect through moral disengagement on moral reasoning, it is not a direct indicator of moral reasoning.

show abstract

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 67%

Moral reasoning explained by personality traits and moral disengagement: A study among Dutch nurse practitioners and physician assistants

Kuilman

Jansen

Middel

et al. 2019

Journal of Advanced Nursing

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For that reason, empirical works typically measure it as "an individual difference in the way that people cognitively process decisions and behavior with ethical import that allows those inclined to morally disengage to behave unethically without feeling distress" (Moore et al, 2012, p. 2). However, more recently, there is a growing interest in considering how situational characteristics may trigger moral disengagement mechanisms (Barsky, 2011;Gino & Galinsky, 2012;Kish-Gephart, Detert, Treviño, Baker, & Martin, 2014;Shu, Gino, & Bazerman, 2011). These studies provide support for the argument that moral disengagement is a motivated cognitive process.…”

Section: Moral Disengagement Theorymentioning

confidence: 71%

Explaining transgressions with moral disengagement strategies and their effects on trust repair

Iwai

Carvalho

Lalli

2018

BAR, Braz. Adm. Rev.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

When providing explanations for a transgression, the offender may use verbal statements based on moral disengagement strategies to mitigate the negative consequences of a trust violation. That is, the offender may try to reframe unethical acts to appear less harmful, or displace responsibility for the wrongdoing, or distort the consequences of his or her actions in order to address the repair of a damage of a trust violation. Based on this, we examined the effects of these explanations based on different moral disengagement strategies on trust repair. The results of a scenario-based experiment show that both the moral justification and the displacement of responsibility strategies elicited higher trusting intentions compared to the distortion of consequences strategy. This effect was mediated by trusting beliefs toward the offender. These findings suggest that reframing the unethical conduct as targeting a greater good, as well as obscuring personal agency for the detrimental conduct, may be more effective to repair trust than misrepresenting the consequences of the immoral acts.

show abstract

“…According to Oh, Choi, Neville, Anderson, and Landrum-Brown (2010), some issues arise when understanding why some oppose and others support efforts to promote diversity by affirmative action. Depending on which side of the spectrum one finds themselves, determines the role self-interest plays concerning one's support of such policies (Crandall, 1994;Kish-Gephart et al, 2014;Jackman, 1996;Ratner & Miller, 2001).…”

Section: College Majormentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Batson et al (1997) differentiated moral hypocrisy from moral integrity as the desire for one to behave morally. For many reasons, including social comparison, people are motivated to appear moral in order receive the benefits of such behavior, while in actuality they are mo tivated by their self-interests (Hoogervorst et al, 2011;Jackman, 1996;Kish-Gephart, Detert, Trevino, Baker, & Martin, 2014;Oh et al, 2010). History has shown that heinous deeds have been committed not only by villainous monsters, but also very horrendous acts have been perpetrated by normally, sincerely moral individuals.…”

Section: Moral Hypocrisymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Social psychologists have shown theories of self-interest as a very powerful factor of human motivation for continued success and growth in areas such as big business. Examples of big business self-interest without restraint would be the 2008 financial recession and recent banking and business scandals (Abrams et al, 2015;Corvino, 2006;Hoogervorst et al, 2011;Jackman, 1996;Kish-Gephart et al, 2014). Another area of motivation according to Hoogervorst et al is leader accountability.…”

Section: Moral Hypocrisymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

College Major and Modern Racism: A Matter of Moral Hypocrisy?

Oxendine

2017

ISS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Research has demonstrated a relationship between gender, race, and modern racism. Recent studies have revealed this relationship exists in college business majors as well as in the world of business. Moral hypocrisy appears as a possible explanation of why apparently normal moral individuals at times, do behave in a less than moral manner when their self-interests are threatened. This paper explores how self-interest often overpowers moral integrity.

show abstract

Situational Moral Disengagement: Can the Effects of Self-Interest be Mitigated?

Cited by 133 publications

References 53 publications

Moral reasoning explained by personality traits and moral disengagement: A study among Dutch nurse practitioners and physician assistants

Moral reasoning explained by personality traits and moral disengagement: A study among Dutch nurse practitioners and physician assistants

Explaining transgressions with moral disengagement strategies and their effects on trust repair

College Major and Modern Racism: A Matter of Moral Hypocrisy?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About