No harm, no foul
Subtitle: the outcome bias in ethical judgments
By: Francesca Gino, Don A. Moore, Max H. Bazerman .
Contributors: Moore, Don A.; Bazerman, Max H.; Harvard Business School
Series: Working paper / Harvard Business School -- 08-080; Working paper (Harvard Business School) -- 08-080
Publisher: Harvard Business School
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Boston]
Language: eng
Number of pages: 23
Description: Two studies investigated the influence of outcome information on ethical judgment. Participants read a series of vignettes describing ethically-questionable behaviors. We manipulated whether those behaviors were followed by a negative or positive consequence. As hypothesized, participants judged behavior as less ethical when it was followed by a negative consequence. In addition, they judged the behavior as more blameworthy and to be punished more harshly. Participants' ethical judgments mediated their judgments of both blame and punishment. The results of the second experiment showed again that participants rated behavior as less ethical when it led to undesirable consequences, even if they saw that behavior as acceptable before they knew its consequences. Implications for both research and practice are discussed.
Notes: "February 2008"--Publisher's web site.

Includes bibliographical references.