Dishonest behavior can transition to continuous ethical transgressions.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Behavioral Economics
• Ethics

Background:

• Ethical decision-making research often examines isolated events.
• The impact of repeated ethical deviations on behavior is less understood.
• Existing research links dishonesty and moral disengagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how repeated transgressions influence dishonesty.
• To determine if minor ethical deviations can escalate into pervasive unethical behavior.
• To identify factors that facilitate or hinder this transition.

Main Methods:

• Six experiments were conducted to test the effects of repeated transgressions.
• The study examined the role of self-interest salience, financial deprivation, rewards, and gradual change.
• Mediation analysis was used to explore the role of moral disengagement.

Main Results:

• Repeated transgressions can lead to a transition from isolated dishonest acts to continuous dishonesty.
• Increased salience of self-interested actions inhibits the progression to continuous cheating.
• Factors such as unfair financial deprivation, self-serving rewards, and gradual change facilitate the transition to continuous dishonesty.
• Moral disengagement was found to mediate the effect of gradual change on continuous dishonesty.

Conclusions:

• Individual dishonest acts are not isolated but can compound, leading to pervasive unethical behavior.
• Understanding the progression of dishonesty is crucial for developing interventions.
• Factors influencing moral disengagement play a key role in the escalation of unethical conduct.