Deciding what's right: The role of external sanctions and embarrassment in shaping moral judgments in the workplace

TY - JOUR

T1 - Deciding what's right

T2 - The role of external sanctions and embarrassment in shaping moral judgments in the workplace

AU - Warren, Danielle E.

AU - Smith-Crowe, Kristin

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - We assert that previous research has overlooked the pervasive ambiguity in ethical situations in organizations, as well as how people pierce through this ambiguity to realize new distinctions between right and wrong. Focusing on well-intentioned individuals who unknowingly transgress, we present a theory of how they come to recalibrate their moral judgments. We begin by discussing the composition and nature of a moral judgment. Building on this discussion, we then consider how external sanctions can be used to shift moral judgments. Finally, we posit that internal emotional responses to sanctions (namely embarrassment) will facilitate this shift by triggering a sense of moral deficiency. More specifically, we assert that embarrassment will focus the transgressor's attention on what went wrong. This reflection provides an opportunity for the recalibration of the initial moral judgment. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of our theory.

AB - We assert that previous research has overlooked the pervasive ambiguity in ethical situations in organizations, as well as how people pierce through this ambiguity to realize new distinctions between right and wrong. Focusing on well-intentioned individuals who unknowingly transgress, we present a theory of how they come to recalibrate their moral judgments. We begin by discussing the composition and nature of a moral judgment. Building on this discussion, we then consider how external sanctions can be used to shift moral judgments. Finally, we posit that internal emotional responses to sanctions (namely embarrassment) will facilitate this shift by triggering a sense of moral deficiency. More specifically, we assert that embarrassment will focus the transgressor's attention on what went wrong. This reflection provides an opportunity for the recalibration of the initial moral judgment. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of our theory.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/46749085477

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/46749085477#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1016/j.riob.2008.04.004

DO - 10.1016/j.riob.2008.04.004

M3 - Review article

SN - 0191-3085

VL - 28

SP - 81

EP - 105

JO - Research in Organizational Behavior

JF - Research in Organizational Behavior

ER -