Uncovering the Moral Heuristics of Altruism: A Philosophical Scale

Extant research suggests that individuals employ traditional moral heuristics to support their observed altruistic behavior; yet findings have largely been limited to inductive extrapolation and rely on relatively few traditional frames in so doing, namely, deontology in organizational behavior and virtue theory in law and economics. Given that these and competing moral frames such as utilitarianism can manifest as identical behavior, we develop a moral framing instrument—the Philosophical Moral-Framing Measure (PMFM)—to expand and distinguish traditional frames associated and disassociated with observed altruistic behavior. The validation of our instrument based on 1015 subjects in 3 separate real stakes scenarios indicates that heuristic forms of deontology, virtue-theory, and utilitarianism are strongly related to such behavior, and that egoism is an inhibitor. It also suggests that deontic and virtue-theoretical frames may be commonly perceived as intertwined and opens the door for new research on self-abnegation, namely, a perceived moral obligation toward suffering and self-denial. These findings hold the potential to inform ongoing conversations regarding organizational citizenship and moral crowding out, namely, how financial incentives can undermine altruistic behavior

Stretching the Moral Gray Zone: Positive Affect, Moral Disengagement and Dishonesty

We propose that positive affect promotes dishonest behavior by providing the cognitive flexibility necessary to reframe and to rationalize dishonest acts. This hypothesis was tested in two studies. The results of Study 1 showed that individuals experiencing positive affect morally disengage to a greater extent than individuals experiencing neutral affect. Study 2 built upon this finding by demonstrating that the ability to morally disengage can lead individuals who experience positive affect to behave dishonestly. Specifically, the results of Study 2 show that people experiencing positive affect are more likely to steal than individuals who experience neutral affect, particularly when self-awareness is low. Furthermore, moral disengagement fully mediated this effect. Taken together, the results suggest that positive affect paves the way for the commission of dishonest acts by altering how individuals evaluate the moral implications of their own behavior

Advocacy and the search for truth in management scholarship: can the twain ever meet?

Scholars have long debated the merits of advocacy-based research versus research considered from the quest for objective truth. Building upon reflections from multiple sources, a set of 11 brief reflections on three posed questions are presented. Tsang concludes our discussion with additional insights on how moving beyond the “interestingness” advocacy will be beneficial to the continued professional development of the management discipline

Self-Efficacy's Affects On Performance And Strategy

Although self-efficacy has always been considered a motivational construct, this theoretical proposition has never been experimentally assessed. In light of new arguments in favor of Control Theory?s motivational influence on performance and against Social Cognitive Theory?s motivational influence on performance, study one of the current paper manipulates both self-efficacy and task type in order to experimentally reproduce the findings of both viewpoints. Study one also shows results of a motivational theory affecting performance. This supports Social Cognitive Theory and goes against premises of Control Theory. 252 undergraduates completed either a skill task or an effort task in either a high self-efficacy or low self-efficacy condition. Analysis was done at the between-person level and at the within-person level controlling for past performance. It is shown that when someone performs better than expected on an effort task they perform better on a secondary similar task. Findings of Control Theory are also replicated and shown to be due to an artifact of self-efficacy measurement, not motivational effects. Study two of the current paper investigates how people mentally categorize their confidences in search and processing information. It also investigates how these divisions influence the strategies used in confronting information through the use of traditional judgmental heuristics. It was hypothesized (Wood, Atkins, and Tabernero, 2000) that search self-efficacy would break down into four components based on search modality and that processing self-efficacy would break down into three components based on task characteristics. It was also hypothesized that increased search self-efficacy would decrease use of the availability heuristic and increased processing self-efficacy would decrease use of the representativeness and anchoring and adjustment heuristics. However, these hypotheses are contrary to the expertise literature. Study two was conducted in two phases. In phase one 535 undergraduates completed a 138 question preliminary search and processing self-efficacy questionnaire. 47 of these questions weighted significantly into six components. These components broke down into personal and interpersonal search self-efficacy; and logical, verbal, spatial, and interpersonal processing self-efficacy. Therefore search and processing categorization hypotheses were supported, but sub-categorization hypotheses were not. In phases two, 173 students completed the 47 questions as well as some questions measuring the use of traditional judgmental heuristics. Support for the expertise literature was found

Transpersonal Efficacy

In addition to self-efficacy, efficacy perceptions of others within a task environment influence task performance. I define such efficacy perceptions of single others as transpersonal efficacy and investigate it in five studies. The first shows transpersonal efficacy can drive performance. The second then investigates how self and transpersonal efficacy jointly influence task performance. Further, the role of the focal other within the task environment, as an outcome interdependent or non-interdependent partner, or as an opponent, is shown to moderate these relationships. Then, transpersonal efficacy is investigated in intact groups. Groups are omnipresent in modern organizations. However, deficiencies in the amount of effort members exert in group tasks, and the manner in which they exert that effort, prevent groups from optimizing the talent of their members. I draw on social cognit ive theory to predict that the pattern of mult iple interact ing efficacy perceptions within a group environment regulate both the level and direct ion of within-group effort allocat ion. Further, I use expectancy theory to predict task interdependence as a moderator of whether these perceptions produce efficient effort allocat ions. Support for these proposit ions is found in two field studies invo lving basketball and project teams. Finally, instrumentality is investigated as a driver of within-group information exchange. Groups rarely utilize the unique knowledge of their members when making decisio ns. This tendency to neglect the expertise of group members severely limit s the effect iveness o f group decisio n making. The final study uses expectancy theory to investigate this issue, and to link motivat ion to informat ion exchange in groups. Results indicate that expectancy mot ivat ion drives groups to utilize expertise awareness, exchange more unique informat ion, and thus so lve a hidden profile problem correctly. The results of all five studies are discussed in terms of the applicabilit y of transpersonal efficacy to predicting individual behavior within and outside o f group contexts. In addition, they are discussed in terms of the usefulness of viewing groups as collections of reciprocally interacting entities, as opposed to singular entities or collections of individuals

The Social Consequences of Voice: An Examination of Voice Type and Gender on Status and Subsequent Leader Emergence

This paper explores the impact of two types of voice and gender on peer-rated social status and subsequent leader emergence. Across two studies-a three-wave field study and an experiment-we find that speaking up promotively, but not prohibitively, is positively and indirectly related to leader emergence via status, and that this relationship is conditional on the gender of the speaker. Specifically, men who spoke up promotively benefited the most in terms of status and leader emergence, not only compared to men who spoke up prohibitively, but also compared to women who spoke up promotively. This research extends our understanding of the outcomes of voice by articulating how it impacts one's place in his or her group's social structure, and ultimately whether he or she is seen as a leader. We also add to our understanding of leader emergence by suggesting that talking a lot or participating at a high level in a group may not be enough to emerge as a leader-it also depends how you do it and who you are.12 month embargo; published Online: 24 October 2018This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Advocacy and the Search for Truth in Management Scholarship: Can the Twain Ever Meet?

Scholars have long debated the merits of advocacy-based research versus research considered from the quest for objective truth. Building upon reflections from multiple sources, a set of 11 brief reflections on three posed questions are presented. Tsang concludes our discussion with additional insights on how moving beyond the “interestingness” advocacy will be beneficial to the continued professional development of the management discipline