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  • December 2019
  • Article
  • Psychological Science

The Ethical Perils of Personal, Communal Relations: A Language Perspective

By: Maryam Kouchaki, Francesca Gino and Yuval Feldman
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Abstract

The current paper focuses on how the type of relationship that exists between a group and its members influences misconduct by fostering certain perceptions of the group. Using multiple methods, lab- and field-based experiments (N = 1,679), and a large dataset of S&P firms, we explore one of the most basic questions of enforcement: whether to manage individuals’ conduct using impersonal language (“employees/members”) or personal, communal language (“we”). Our results demonstrate a robust effect of a communal relationship (as compared to an exchange relationship) influencing perceptions of a group’s warmth, which in turn increases levels of dishonesty among members.

Keywords

Language; Codes Of Conduct; Ethics; Communication; Perception; Behavior

Citation

Kouchaki, Maryam, Francesca Gino, and Yuval Feldman. "The Ethical Perils of Personal, Communal Relations: A Language Perspective." Psychological Science 30, no. 12 (December 2019): 1745–1766.
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About The Author

Francesca Gino

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
→More Publications

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More from the Authors
  • Mary Caroline Tillman at Egon Zehnder: Spotting Talent in the 21st Century By: Francesca Gino, Bradely R. Staats and Anne Marie Green
  • You Need Two Leadership Gears: Know When to Take Charge and When to Get Out of the Way By: Lindy Greer, Francesca Gino and Robert Sutton
  • Giving-by-proxy Triggers Subsequent Charitable Behavior By: Samantha Kassirer, Jillian J. Jordan and Maryam Kouchaki
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