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The Influence of Unethical Peer Behavior on Observers’ Unethical Behavior: A Social Cognitive Perspective

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  • Michael O’Fallon
  • Kenneth Butterfield

Abstract

The relationship between unethical peer behavior and observers’ unethical behavior traditionally has been examined from a social learning perspective. We employ two additional theoretical lenses, social identity theory and social comparison theory, each of which offers additional insight into this relationship. Data from 600 undergraduate business students in two universities provide support for all the three perspectives, suggesting that unethical behavior is influenced by social learning, social identity, and social comparison processes. Implications for managers and future research are discussed. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012

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  • Michael O’Fallon & Kenneth Butterfield, 2012. "The Influence of Unethical Peer Behavior on Observers’ Unethical Behavior: A Social Cognitive Perspective," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(2), pages 117-131, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:109:y:2012:i:2:p:117-131
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-011-1111-7
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    1. Elodie Gentina & L. J. Shrum & Tina M. Lowrey & Scott J. Vitell & Gregory M. Rose, 2018. "An Integrative Model of the Influence of Parental and Peer Support on Consumer Ethical Beliefs: The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem, Power, and Materialism," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(4), pages 1173-1186, July.
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    6. Mills, Paul & Groening, Christopher, 2021. "The role of social acceptability and guilt in unethical consumer behavior: Following the crowd or their own moral compass?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 377-388.
    7. Hansen, Torben & Sørensen, Maria Ingerslev & Eriksen, Marie-Louise Riewerts, 2018. "How the interplay between consumer motivations and values influences organic food identity and behavior," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 39-52.
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    9. Franziska Zuber & Muel Kaptein, 2014. "Painting with the Same Brush? Surveying Unethical Behavior in the Workplace Using Self-Reports and Observer-Reports," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 125(3), pages 401-432, December.
    10. Markus Brunner & Andreas Ostermaier, 2019. "Peer Influence on Managerial Honesty: The Role of Transparency and Expectations," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 154(1), pages 127-145, January.
    11. Roberta Fida & Carlo Tramontano & Marinella Paciello & Valerio Ghezzi & Claudio Barbaranelli, 2018. "Understanding the Interplay Among Regulatory Self-Efficacy, Moral Disengagement, and Academic Cheating Behaviour During Vocational Education: A Three-Wave Study," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(3), pages 725-740, December.
    12. Leib, Margarita & Schweitzer, Maurice, 2020. "Peer Behavior Profoundly Influences Dishonesty: Will Individuals Seek-out Information about Peers’ Dishonesty?," OSF Preprints 3pwcg, Center for Open Science.
    13. Elodie Gentina & Thomas Li-Ping Tang & Qinxuan Gu, 2017. "Does Bad Company Corrupt Good Morals? Social Bonding and Academic Cheating among French and Chinese Teens," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 146(3), pages 639-667, December.
    14. Madhurima Mishra & Koustab Ghosh & Dheeraj Sharma, 2022. "Unethical Pro-organizational Behavior: A Systematic Review and Future Research Agenda," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 179(1), pages 63-87, August.
    15. Hildreth, John Angus D., 2024. "When loyalty binds: Examining the effectiveness of group versus personal loyalty calls on followers’ compliance with leaders’ unethical requests," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 181(C).
    16. Victoria Bush & Alan J. Bush & Jared Oakley & John E. Cicala, 2017. "The Sales Profession as a Subculture: Implications for Ethical Decision Making," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 142(3), pages 549-565, May.
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    18. Duanxu Wang & Xin Pi & Yuhao Pan, 2017. "The interpersonal diffusion mechanism of unethical behavior in groups: a social network perspective," Computational and Mathematical Organization Theory, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 271-292, June.
    19. Yu-Shan Huang & Shuqin Wei & Tyson Ang, 2022. "The Role of Customer Perceived Ethicality in Explaining the Impact of Incivility Among Employees on Customer Unethical Behavior and Customer Citizenship Behavior," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 178(2), pages 519-535, June.
    20. Chen, Aihui & Lu, Yaobin & Wang, Bin, 2017. "Customers’ purchase decision-making process in social commerce: A social learning perspective," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 37(6), pages 627-638.
    21. Chen, Fengwen & Wang, Bing & Wang, Wei & Hu, Chen, 2024. "The secret of imitating wrongdoing: Accidental or deliberate," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).

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