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HOW PEOPLE MAKE SENSE OF ETHICAL EVENTS

HOW PEOPLE MAKE SENSE OF ETHICAL EVENTS. Jay Caughron University of Oklahoma 2009 Conference on Research Integrity May 17 th , 2009. Background: What do we know?. Ethical events Complex, ambiguous, socially relevant Cognitive reasoning strategies known to enhance EDM

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HOW PEOPLE MAKE SENSE OF ETHICAL EVENTS

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  1. HOW PEOPLE MAKE SENSE OF ETHICAL EVENTS Jay Caughron University of Oklahoma 2009 Conference on Research Integrity May 17th, 2009

  2. Background: What do we know? • Ethical events • Complex, ambiguous, socially relevant • Cognitive reasoning strategies known to enhance EDM • Anticipating consequences • Recognizing circumstances • Considering others • Lingering questions • Why are these strategies effective for promoting EDM? • Why are the strategies used in some situations but not in others? Mumford, Connelly, Brown, Murphy, Hill, Antes, Waples, & Devenport (2008)

  3. Background: What don’t we know? • Sensemaking • Prompted by novel, unusual, ambiguous circumstances • The process by which an individual creates a meaningful and actionable representation of a situation in their mind • Situational Influences • How does the situation a person is in influence the cognitive process of ethical decision-making? Weick (1995)

  4. Hypotheses • H1: Better sensemaking will result in decisions of higher ethicality • H2: The use of cognitive reasoning strategies will enhance sensemaking • H3: Situational conditions will influence the degree to which an individual will use cognitive reasoning strategies Cognitive Reasoning Strategies Sensemaking Ethicality of Decisions Situational Conditions

  5. Method • 2x2x2 • Manipulations: Situational Variables • Sample: 163 undergraduates • Scenario based task • Decision-maker in an organization • Provide solutions to problems that are presented • Based on EDM Taxonomy • Covariate Control Measures • Content Coded Responses

  6. Manipulations: Situational Variables • Cause of Ethical Event • Personal Cause • Situational Cause • Outcome Focus • Personal • Organizational • Outcome Valence • Positive • Negative

  7. Content Coding • Cognition variables rated by expert judges • Ethicality of decisions • Sensemaking variables • No. Issues • No. Issue Types • Info Integration • Strategy use variables • Anticipating Consequences • Recognizing Circumstances • Considering Others

  8. Results: Hypothesis 1 † = p<.10 * = p<.05 **= p<.01

  9. Results Summary: Hypothesis 1 • Hypothesis 1: Higher quality sensemaking results in more ethical decisions No. of Issues ↑ No. of Issue Types ↑ Ethicality ↑ Information Integration = Significant at p < .10 = Significant at p < .05

  10. Results: Hypothesis 2 † = p<.10 * = p<.05 **= p<.01

  11. Results: Hypothesis 2 * = p<.05 **= p<.01

  12. Results: Hypothesis 2 † = p<.10 * = p<.05 **= p<.01

  13. Results Summary: Hypothesis 2 • Hypothesis 2: Greater use of reasoning strategies will promote sensemaking ↑ Anticipating Consequences ↑ No. of Issues ↑ Recognizing Circumstances ↑ Types of Issues ↑ Considering Others ↑ Info. Integration = Significant at p < .10 = Significant at p < .05

  14. Results: Hypothesis 3 * = p<.05 ** = p<.01

  15. Results: Hypothesis 3 Outcome Focus Manipulation Results Note: Personal condition significantly lower at the p<.01 level for all strategies Measured on a 5-point scale

  16. Results Summary: Hypothesis 3 • H3: Situational conditions will influence the degree to which an individual will use cognitive reasoning strategies Cause of Ethical Event (Personal/Situational Anticipating Consequences Outcome Focus (Org./Personal) Recognizing Circumstances Considering Others Outcome Valence (Positive/Negative) = Significant at p < .01

  17. Limitations • Undergrad sample • Low fidelity simulation • Low to moderate levels of co-linearity • Method bias

  18. Overall Summary • Organizational focus on outcomes increased strategy use • Strategy use associated with more effective sensemaking • Better sensemaking associated with ethicality of decisions

  19. Implications Take a broad perspective concerning ethical events • Organizational focus better than personal focus • Personalizing things could back-fire • Not just about active cognition • Variety of issue types better than a lot of issues • Integrating information into a coherent whole is vital • Role of considering others and recognizing circumstances

  20. Research Team • Faculty • Dr. Michael Mumford • Dr. Lynn Devenport • Dr. Shane Connelly • Dr. Ryan Brown • Graduate Students • Alison Antes • Laura Martin • Cheryl Beeler • Xiaoqian Wang • Chase Thiel • Funding • National Institutes of Health • Office of Research Integrity

  21. Hypothesis Summary • Situational • Conditions • Cause of event • Focus of Outcome • Outcome Valence • Reasoning • Strategies • Anticipating • Consequences • Recognizing • Circumstances • Considering • Others • Sensemaking • No. of Issues • Types of Issues • Information • Integration Ethicality of Decisions

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