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The Empirical Performance of Cognitive Moral Development in Predicting Behavioral Intent

Author

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  • Robin, Donald P.
  • Gordon, Gus
  • Jordan, Charles
  • Reidenbach, R. Eric

Abstract

The substantial work on cognitive moral development (CMD) by Lawrence Kohlberg and James Rest popularized the use of this construct in the literature on business ethics. This construct has been prominently used in models attempting to explain ethical/unethical behavior in management, marketing, and accounting, even though Kohlberg did not intend for the construct to be used in that manner. As a predictor of behavior, CMD has been attacked on the theoretical level, and its empirical performance has been weak. This article uses another established construct, which seems to satisfy the central criticisms of CMD, as a means of testing those complaints. The comparative multidimensional ethics scale (MES) substantially outperforms CMD, operationalized using Rest's Defining Issues Test, in every test. These results seem to suggest that other options perform better than CMD when the purpose is to model ethical/unethical behavior or even ethical judgment.

Suggested Citation

  • Robin, Donald P. & Gordon, Gus & Jordan, Charles & Reidenbach, R. Eric, 1996. "The Empirical Performance of Cognitive Moral Development in Predicting Behavioral Intent," Business Ethics Quarterly, Cambridge University Press, vol. 6(4), pages 493-515, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:buetqu:v:6:y:1996:i:04:p:493-515_01
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    Cited by:

    1. Peter Mudrack & E. Mason, 2013. "Ethical Judgments: What Do We Know, Where Do We Go?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 115(3), pages 575-597, July.
    2. Beverly Kracher & Robert Marble, 2008. "The Significance of Gender in Predicting the Cognitive Moral Development of Business Practitioners Using the Sociomoral Reflection Objective Measure," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 78(4), pages 503-526, April.
    3. Nhung Nguyen & Michael Biderman, 2008. "Studying Ethical Judgments and Behavioral Intentions Using Structural Equations: Evidence from the Multidimensional Ethics Scale," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 83(4), pages 627-640, December.
    4. Watkins, Alison & Hill, Ronald Paul, 2011. "Morality in marketing: Oxymoron or good business practice?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 64(8), pages 922-927, August.
    5. James Weber & Elaine McGivern, 2010. "A New Methodological Approach for Studying Moral Reasoning Among Managers in Business Settings," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 92(1), pages 149-166, March.

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