Moral Disengage For The Unethical Behavior Of Others

Objective: This study is based on moral disengagement theory and the selfexpansion theory,to explore whether the individual will generate vicarious moral disengagement for the unethical behavior of others who have self-other overlap.Methods: In the hypothetical deception situation and the real deception experiment situation,the subjects are set to read and verify the unethical behavior of others with different self-other overlap.Results:(1)The higher the level of ethical traits,the more likely the individual will be morally disengaged for the unethical behavior of others;(2)Men are more likely to be morally disengagement of the unethical behavior of others than women;(3)The self-other overlap has no significant effect on the moral disengagement of the individual's unethical behavior;in addition,the results of the experiment in the first experiment also show that the individual's unethical behavior is more severe than the unethical behavior of others.The results of the supplementary research in Experiment 2 are: the auditor's moral disengagement for the unethical behavior of others is not affected by the deception of others,nor by the degree of self-other overlap;the moral disengagement of the actor's deception is not Affected by whether or not to commit dishonest.Conclusion:(1)Individuals may moral disengage the unethical behavior of another person;(2)The likelihood of moral disengage for the unethical behavior of others is affected by the level of traits of the individual's moral disengagement.The higher the level of ethical traits,the more likely the individual will be morally disengaged for the unethical behavior of others;(3)Men are more likely to be morally disengagement of the unethical behavior of others than women;(4)The degree of selfother overlap with the unethical perpetrator does not affect the likelihood that the individual will be morally disengaged for the unethical behavior;Prospect: Future research should further explore the existence mechanism of vicarious moral disengagement,and develop targeted measurement tools combined with the implicit measurement of interpersonal relationships.At the same time,it identifies the role,performance,influence and connection of the network and reality of moral disengagement for others' unethical behaviors in interpersonal relationship.