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  • June 2020
  • Article
  • Psychological Science

Air Pollution, State Anxiety, and Unethical Behavior: A Meta-Analytic Review

By: J Lu, J. Lee, F. Gino and A. Galinsky
  • Format:Print
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Abstract

Lu, Lee, Gino, and Galinsky (2018) reported four studies demonstrating that air pollution predicted unethical behavior and that one mediating mechanism was state anxiety. In contrast, Heck and colleagues reported two null-effect studies on air pollution, trait anxiety, and unethical behavior. When faced with conflicting findings, researchers must consider both the theoretical reasoning and the available empirical studies in the literature. To these aims, we more precisely articulate our theoretical reasoning for the links among air pollution, state anxiety, and unethical behavior. We next present a meta-analytic review testing these links. This meta-analytic review revealed that the links among air pollution, state anxiety, and unethical behavior are reliable across different studies around the world. We call for future research to continue exploring when and how air pollution influences morality.

Keywords

State Anxiety; Pollution; Behavior; Moral Sensibility; Analysis

Citation

Lu, J., J. Lee, F. Gino, and A. Galinsky. "Air Pollution, State Anxiety, and Unethical Behavior: A Meta-Analytic Review." Psychological Science 31, no. 6 (June 2020): 748–755.
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About The Author

Francesca Gino

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
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More from the Authors
  • FIJI Water: Carbon Negative? (Abridged) By: Michael W. Toffel, George Serafeim, Francesca Gino, Stephanie Van Sice and Tom Quinn
  • When Alterations Are Violations: Moral Outrage and Punishment in Response to (Even Minor) Alterations to Rituals By: Daniel H. Stein, Juliana Schroeder, Nicholas M. Hobson, Francesca Gino and Michael I. Norton
  • Debbie Millman: Designing a Meaningful Life By: Francesca Gino, Frances X. Frei and Anne Morriss
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