A number of my publications have explored the concept of moral disengagement, a cognitive process first described by psychologist Albert Bandura. Bandura proposed that moral disengagement occurs through a set of eight inter-related cognitive mechanisms that facilitate unethical behavior. My colleagues and I have developed a valid, reliable, and parsimonious measure of moral disengagement in adults. The measure predicts self-reported and actual unethical behaviors, as well as workplace deviance as reported by both employees' supervisors and their co-workers.
MORAL DISENGAGEMENT MEASURE
It is okay to spread rumors to defend those you care about. (MJ)
Taking something without the owner's permission is okay as long as you're just borrowing it. (EL)
Considering the ways people grossly misrepresent themselves, it's hardly a sin to inflate your own accomplishments a bit. (AC)
People shouldn't be held accountable for doing questionable things when they were just doing what an authority figure told them to do. (DIS)
People can’t be blamed for doing things that are technically wrong when all their friends are doing it too. (DIF)
Taking personal credit for ideas that were not your own is no big deal. (DC)
Some people have to be treated roughly because they lack feelings that can be hurt. (DH)
People who get mistreated have usually done something to bring it on themselves. (AB)
Items measured on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”.
MJ=Moral justification; EL=Euphemistic labeling; AC=Advantageous comparison; DIS=Displacement of responsibility; DIF=Diffusion of responsibility; DC=Distorting consequences; AB=Attribution of blame; DH=Dehumanization
Reference: Moore, C., Detert, J.R., Trevino, L.K., Baker, V.L., & Mayer, D.M. (2012). Why employees do bad things: Moral disengagement and unethical organizational behavior. Personnel Psychology, 65, 1-48.
MORAL DISENGAGEMENT MEASURE
It is okay to spread rumors to defend those you care about. (MJ)
Taking something without the owner's permission is okay as long as you're just borrowing it. (EL)
Considering the ways people grossly misrepresent themselves, it's hardly a sin to inflate your own accomplishments a bit. (AC)
People shouldn't be held accountable for doing questionable things when they were just doing what an authority figure told them to do. (DIS)
People can’t be blamed for doing things that are technically wrong when all their friends are doing it too. (DIF)
Taking personal credit for ideas that were not your own is no big deal. (DC)
Some people have to be treated roughly because they lack feelings that can be hurt. (DH)
People who get mistreated have usually done something to bring it on themselves. (AB)
Items measured on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree”.
MJ=Moral justification; EL=Euphemistic labeling; AC=Advantageous comparison; DIS=Displacement of responsibility; DIF=Diffusion of responsibility; DC=Distorting consequences; AB=Attribution of blame; DH=Dehumanization
Reference: Moore, C., Detert, J.R., Trevino, L.K., Baker, V.L., & Mayer, D.M. (2012). Why employees do bad things: Moral disengagement and unethical organizational behavior. Personnel Psychology, 65, 1-48.