The Effects of Ethical Ideology on Moral Behavior

Summary The relationship between ethical ideology and moral behavior was investigated in two studies by tempting American college students (19 males and 61 females) to cheat on a test administered in a laboratory setting. Overall, students who adopted different ethical ideologies, as assessed by the 2 (relativistic vs nonrelativistic moral outlook) by 2 (idealistic vs pragmatic values) classification scheme of the Ethics Position Questionnaire (EPQ) behaved similarly. However, questionnaire ratings indicated (a) self-devaluation was most pronounced among absolutists (nonrelativistic and idealistic); (b) exceptionists (nonrelativistic and pragmatic) reported increased happiness the more they cheated; (c) situationists’ (relativistic and idealistic) self-ratings were not clearly related to the morality of their actions; and (d) subjectivists (relativistic and pragmatic) showed signs of fear of detection. Combined with previous data, these findings suggest variations in ethical ideology may predict individual differences in moral judgment, but not individual differences in moral behavior.