Anticipating and Resisting the Temptation to Behave Unethically

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Economics
• Moral Psychology
• Decision Science

Background:

• Ethical dilemmas involve a conflict between immediate dishonest gains and long-term honesty.
• Self-control strategies successful for health or finance may enhance ethical conduct.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how anticipating temptations and identifying self-control conflicts influence ethical decision-making.
• To determine the conditions under which anticipating dishonesty promotes honesty.

Main Methods:

• Four studies examined ethical decision-making in various contexts, including negotiations, lab tasks, and workplace dilemmas.
• The research manipulated decision framing (broad vs. narrow) and future self-connectedness.
• Participants' anticipation of dishonest temptations was assessed.

Main Results:

• Anticipating dishonest temptations only promoted honesty when conflict identification was facilitated.
• Facilitated conflict identification occurred with broad decision frames and high future self-connectedness.
• These interaction patterns were consistent across negotiation, lab, and workplace settings.

Conclusions:

• Identifying a self-control conflict is a crucial precondition for ethical decision-making.
• Anticipating temptations is also necessary, but only effective when conflict identification is present.
• Understanding these preconditions can inform strategies for promoting ethical behavior.