Ego depletion and its paradoxical effects on ethical decision making

Kai Chi Yam, Xiao-Ping Chen and Scott J. Reynolds

Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 2014, vol. 124, issue 2, 204-214

Abstract: Whereas previous research has shown that ego depletion can lead to an increase in unethical behavior, we suggest that this effect hinges on the social consensus of the unethical behavior. Drawing from theories on social consensus and dual-process decision-making, we hypothesize and confirm that ego depletion is associated with increased unethical behavior of comparatively low social consensus. We then find that, as hypothesized, ego depletion is associated with decreased unethical behavior of high social consensus (Studies 1 and 2). Results further suggest that, controlling for state self-control resources, depleted participants are less likely to engage in unethical behavior of high social consensus as a result of increased subjective fatigue (Study 3). Taken together, our findings challenge a widely-held assumption about the negative effects of ego depletion on ethical decision making.

Keywords: Ego depletion; Social consensus; Subjective fatigue; Ethical decision making (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jobhdp:v:124:y:2014:i:2:p:204-214

DOI: 10.1016/j.obhdp.2014.03.008

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