Written by Jir Dara Akcan
While facing a decision, every aspect of one’s self is utilized. As an echo of the ego filtered through the tight fabric we call conscience, we try to adhere to the ethics we are taught. But what if the decision made does not follow these ethics?
Deviating from common ethical values can stem from various factors, often linked to personal backgrounds and life events.
Omnipotence: Beyond the Rules of Society
When someone feels entitled and supreme, they may fail to acknowledge that ethical rules also apply to them. Omnipotence can be useful, even beneficial. It can build courage and confidence for a breakthrough. However, the further someone progresses down this road, the more it becomes a liability.
The Role of Moral Disengagement
One major theory in understanding unethical behavior is moral disengagement, proposed by psychologist Albert Bandura. Moral disengagement involves cognitive mechanisms that allow individuals to justify unethical actions and suppress guilt or shame. This theory explains how individuals rationalize actions that would normally conflict with their moral compass.
For example, people might use “euphemistic labeling” to downplay the unethical nature of their actions through softer language. A corporate executive may refer to environmental pollution as merely a “byproduct of production,” minimizing its harmful consequences. Others might engage in “displacement of responsibility,” placing the blame on authority figures or the situation itself. Soldiers in war or employees following orders might believe their behavior is excused because they are “just following orders.”
The Influence of Situational Factors
One of the most striking findings in psychology is how significantly situational factors can influence unethical behavior. Psychologist Philip Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment is a classic example. In the study, participants assigned roles as guards or prisoners in a simulated prison. The guards, ordinary college students, quickly began to exhibit cruel and dehumanizing behavior toward the prisoners, illustrating how certain environments can foster unethical behavior. Zimbardo concluded that it wasn’t simply the individuals themselves but the environment and situation that drew out such behaviors.
This phenomenon of situational influence is not limited to extreme cases like the Stanford Prison Experiment. In workplaces, for instance, a high-pressure environment with unrealistic expectations and minimal oversight can push individuals toward dishonest practices. Psychologists argue that when people face ambiguous situations with unclear ethical guidelines, or when they feel disconnected from the victims of their actions, they are more likely to engage in unethical behavior.
Self-Interest and Moral Compromise
At its core, unethical behavior often stems from self-interest. People are naturally motivated to pursue goals that benefit them personally, whether seeking financial gain, power, or status. Self-interest itself is not inherently unethical, but when it leads people to rationalize harmful actions for personal gain, it becomes problematic.
Research shows that people sometimes make incremental moral compromises, meaning they start with small, ethically questionable decisions that gradually escalate. Known as the “slippery slope effect,” this process can eventually lead people to commit major ethical violations. In corporate settings, an employee might start with a small misreporting of expenses to benefit their department, leading over time to more severe unethical acts, such as embezzlement.
Cognitive dissonance, a term introduced by psychologist Leon Festinger, describes the discomfort people feel when their actions conflict with their beliefs or values. To reduce this discomfort, individuals often rationalize their behavior or change their attitudes to align with their actions. This mechanism can contribute to unethical behavior, as people find ways to justify their decisions to avoid feeling hypocritical.
Consider a person who views themselves as honest but is tempted to cheat on a test. If they cheat, they may experience cognitive dissonance between their self-image and their dishonest behavior. To resolve this, they might convince themselves that “everyone cheats” or that it was just one time and doesn’t define their character. Cognitive dissonance allows individuals to preserve a positive self-image while engaging in actions that conflict with their ethics.
Social Influence and Peer Pressure
Social influence is another critical factor in unethical behavior. Psychologist Solomon Asch’s conformity experiments in the 1950s demonstrated how individuals would often conform to a group’s actions, even when the group was clearly wrong. This insight applies to ethical situations as well; people often conform to group norms, including unethical behaviors, to avoid social rejection or gain acceptance.
In organizations, an unethical corporate culture can influence employees to compromise their personal ethics. When unethical behavior is normalized or rewarded within a group, individuals may feel pressured to conform to maintain their social standing. A study by Harvard Business School found that employees are more likely to engage in unethical behavior if they believe others around them are doing so without facing consequences.
Psychological Distance and Dehumanization
Unethical behavior can also arise from psychological distance—the perception of separation between oneself and the consequences of one’s actions. When individuals feel removed from the harm they are causing, they are more likely to act unethically. In large corporations, employees may not see the direct impact of cutting corners or falsifying reports, making it easier to justify these actions.
Dehumanization, the process of viewing others as less than fully human, can exacerbate this tendency. For instance, when employees in a large bureaucracy feel disconnected from those affected by their actions, they may be more likely to engage in harmful behaviors. This is particularly evident in cases of online harassment, where the anonymity of the internet makes it easier for people to treat others poorly due to the lack of face-to-face connection.
Understanding the psychological underpinnings of unethical behavior provides a foundation for combating it. Building self-awareness around cognitive biases, such as moral disengagement and cognitive dissonance, can help individuals recognize when they are rationalizing unethical behavior. Additionally, fostering a culture of accountability within organizations, where ethical behavior is rewarded, can mitigate social and situational pressures.
Organizations can also counter unethical behavior by providing clear ethical guidelines and emphasizing empathy. When people understand the real-world consequences of their actions on others, the psychological distance that often fosters unethical behavior can shrink. Ethical training programs, open communication channels, and transparent consequences for ethical breaches can reinforce ethical standards and diminish situational pressures to act unethically.
The psychology behind unethical behavior is multifaceted, shaped by cognitive processes, situational pressures, social influence, and self-interest. By studying these psychological mechanisms, we gain insights into why people sometimes act against their moral beliefs. Recognizing these factors can equip individuals and organizations with tools to foster ethical behavior, allowing us to address unethical behavior effectively and cultivate a more conscientious and ethical society.
References:
Blind spots: Why we fail to do what's right and what to do about it. (n.d.). Harvard Kennedy School | Harvard Kennedy School. https://www.hks.harvard.edu/centers/cpl/publications/blind-spots-why-we-fail-do-whats-right-and-what-do-about-it
Healthcentral.com. (n.d.). healthcentral.com. https://www.healthcentral.com/mental-health/cognitive-dissonance
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The page restricted | ScienceDirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/moral-disengagement
The psychology behind unethical behavior. (2019, April 12). Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2019/04/the-psychology-behind-unethical-behavior
Why ethical people make unethical choices. (2016, December 16). Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2016/12/why-ethical-people-make-unethical-choices
Why so many of us lie, cheat, and steal. (n.d.). Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201206/why-so-many-of-us-lie-cheat-and-steal
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