Caring Ethical Climate and Formal Ethical Climate in Schools: Which of These Promotes Motivation and Citizenship Behaviors Among Teachers?

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between ethical perceptions and teachers’ organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), group organizational citizenship behavior (GOCB), and social loafing (SL). The study examined how formal and caring ethical climates serve as motivational factors that promote positive teacher behaviors. The study participants included 878 teachers, 50 principals, and 50 school counselors from 50 elementary schools. The data was analyzed using multilevel SEM. We found that the teachers’ perception of both formal and caring ethical climates is positively correlated with GOCB, and that their perception of a caring ethical climate is negatively correlated with their SL. Moreover, the principal’s perception of the school’s ethical climate was positively correlated with both teachers’ OCB and, paradoxically, SL. As for motivation, the teachers’ perception of the school’s caring ethical climate was found to be positively correlated with extrinsic motivation and negatively correlated with amotivation. These findings lead to the conclusion that principals should lead the development of a clear ethical framework as a mechanism for promoting school effectiveness.