To Be Good, Feel Good, or Look Good? A Theoretical Model of Moral Advice Seeking and Taking

People frequently turn to others for moral advice when confronting ethical decisions, yet behavioral ethics research has overlooked moral advice seeking and taking. In this article, we develop a theory of moral advice seeking and taking that explains why individuals seek and take moral advice and the consequences of these decisions. We propose that individuals seek and take moral advice not only to inform their moral judgments and make more ethical decisions ( authentic moral advice seeking and taking ) but also to manage their moral impressions, relationships, and moral self-concept ( strategic moral advice seeking and taking ). We further propose that moral advice seeking and taking influence moral perceptions, interpersonal relationships, and ethical decision-making, including ethical blind spots, moral hypocrisy, and unethical behavior. By integrating insights from the behavioral ethics and advice literatures, our article advances a theoretical framework for understanding moral influence and identifies moral advice seeking and taking as important interpersonal processes that shape ethical decision-making in organizations.