Showing papers on "Situational ethics published in 2011"
TL;DR: There has been a rapidly growing body of conceptual and empirical research focused on better understanding the motives underlying voice, individual, and situational factors that increase employee voice behavior, and the implications of voice and silence for employees, work groups, and organizations.
Abstract: Within organizations, employees continually confront situations that put them face to face with the decision of whether to speak up (i.e., voice) or remain silent when they have potentially useful information or ideas. In recent years, there has been a rapidly growing body of conceptual and empirical research focused on better understanding the motives underlying voice, individual, and situational factors that increase employee voice behavior, and the implications of voice and silence for employees, work groups, and organizations. Yet this literature has notable gaps and unresolved issues, and it is not entirely clear where future scholarship should be directed. This article, therefore, is an attempt to review and integrate the existing literature on employee voice and also to provide some direction for future research.
1,041 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the author discusses how the constructs are defined in the organizational change literature and synthesizes the antecedents of each construct, and proposes that these constructs are susceptible to situational variables, and may change over time as individuals' experiences change; therefore, they are better conceptualized as states than as personality traits.
Abstract: Organizations are increasingly required to improve their ability to enhance employees' support or acceptance for change initiatives. In studies that have examined the conditions in which employees support organizational change, researchers have focused on various attitudinal constructs that represent employees' attitudes toward organizational change. The constructs, which frequently serve as key variables in these studies, include readiness for change, commitment to change, openness to change, and cynicism about organizational change. These constructs have distinct meanings and emphases and therefore they can provide us with different information regarding employees' evaluation of and concerns about particular change initiatives. In this literature review, the author discusses how the constructs are defined in the organizational change literature and synthesizes the antecedents of each construct. Based on the discussion, it is proposed that the constructs are susceptible to situational variables, and may change over time as individuals' experiences change; therefore, they are better conceptualized as states than as personality traits. ©2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
410 citations
TL;DR: Empirical evidence from two multi-year, user study projects indicate that convenience is a factor for making choices in a variety of situations, including both academic information seeking and everyday-life information seeking, although it plays different roles in different situations.
339 citations
TL;DR: The authors argued that strong versions of the situationist critique of virtue ethics are empirically and conceptually unfounded, as well as that, even if one accepts that the predictive power of character may be limited, this is not a fatal problem for early Confucian virtue ethics.
Abstract: This article argues that strong versions of the situationist critique of virtue ethics are empirically and conceptually unfounded, as well as that, even if one accepts that the predictive power of character may be limited, this is not a fatal problem for early Confucian virtue ethics. Early Confucianism has explicit strategies for strengthening and expanding character traits over time, as well as for managing a variety of situational forces. The article concludes by suggesting that Confucian virtue ethics represents a more empirically responsible model of ethics than those currently dominant in Western philosophy.
306 citations
TL;DR: This paper investigated the dynamic and situated nature of willingness to communicate (WTC) in second language classrooms based on data collected through classroom observations, stimulated-recall interviews, and reflective journals, and found that situational WTC in L2 classrooms emerged from the joint effects of individual characteristics including self-confidence, personality, emotion and perceived opportunity to communicate, classroom environmental conditions such as topic, task, interlocutor, teacher and group size, together with linguistic factors.
216 citations
TL;DR: This paper found that regulatory focus induced by situational cues (such as the framing of an unrelated task) or primed influences people's likelihood to cross ethical boundaries, leading to higher levels of dishonesty.
178 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a crime-commission process followed in child sex offending is described and examined, and situational prevention measures are mapped onto the crime script process in child sexual offending.
Abstract: The current study describes and examines the crime-commission process followed in child sex offending. There are two major aims in this study. The first aim is to propose a script model in child sex offending. The second aim is to show the relevance of completing crime scripts to identify situational crime prevention measures. One of the weaknesses in the current crime script literature is the absence of proposed prevention measures. Besides Cornish, only Clarke and Newman have used crime scripts for its main purpose, which is to offer a way to develop situational crime prevention techniques. In this study, situational prevention measures are mapped onto the crime-commission process in child sex offending.
157 citations
TL;DR: A situational perspective is argued for a situational perspective of children’s participation to act in the child’'s best interest and to balance protection with shared decision-making, according to children's rights and desires.
Abstract: Children's participation in decision-making in the health care setting is complex because parents and health professionals tend to take a protective stance towards children to act in their best interest. Children prefer to be protected in some situations and to share decision-making in others. Adults in the health care setting need to consider children as individuals, rather than as a homogenous group, and take into account that a child's competence and preferences will depend on the circumstances in every situation. This article argues for a situational perspective of children's participation to act in the child's best interest and to balance protection with shared decision-making, according to children's rights and desires.
147 citations
TL;DR: This paper investigated how situational interest of high school students was triggered during a field trip to an aquarium and found that the aquarium visit triggered a lot of situational interest among the students and led to positive emotions toward the topic.
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate how situational interest of high school students was triggered during a field trip to an aquarium. Although the role of museums in stimulating interest among students has been acknowledged for some time, empirical evidence about how the specific variable of a museum setting might trigger situational interest is almost nonexistent. The present study was conducted as a case study to provide an inductive, explorative investigation of how situational interest emerged during the field trip. A situative approach to the study of interest was applied in the form of a combined analytical tool that captures both social and psychological aspects. Qualitative methods were used to generate data: observation, video recording, and interviews. The findings showed that the aquarium visit triggered a lot of situational interest among the students and led to positive emotions toward the topic. Five situational variables were found to trigger the students' interest: social involvement, hands-on, surprise, novelty, and knowledge acquisition. The situational variables are largely under the control of the teacher and/or museum staff and should be considered when planning museum visits. This study suggests that teachers can find ways to foster students' involvement in specific content areas and increase levels of academic motivation regardless of prior interest. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed95:337–357, 2011
103 citations
07 May 2011
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that participants conform to high vs. low norms of thoughtfulness manifested through either the apparent behavior of other users or through visual, textual and interactional design features conceptually associated with thoughtfulness.
Abstract: We describe two experiments on whether individual thoughtful effort during online commenting is shaped by situational norms derived from the behavior of social others and the design of the environment, respectively. By measuring the length of participants' comments on a news website, the time taken to write them, and the number of issue-relevant thoughts they contain, we demonstrate that participants conform to high vs. low norms of thoughtfulness manifested through either the apparent behavior of other users or through visual, textual and interactional design features conceptually associated with thoughtfulness. Theoretical and applied insights for designing online participatory environments are discussed.
96 citations
TL;DR: The role that personality variables and processes play in people's efforts to manage their public images is examined, and the extent to which people believe they are capable of making desired impressions influences their impression management strategies and how they respond to other people's evaluations.
Abstract: This article examines the role that personality variables and processes play in people's efforts to manage their public images. Although most research on self-presentation has focused on situational influences, people differ greatly in the degree to which they care about others' impressions of them, the types of impressions they try to convey, and their evaluations of their self-presentational effectiveness. Personality constructs such as public self-consciousness, approval motivation, and fear of negative evaluation are associated with the motive to manage one's impressions, and people who differ in self-disclosure and desire for privacy differentially reveal information about themselves to others. Other variables relating to people's self-concepts, interpersonal goals, and traits influence the construction of specific images. Finally, the extent to which people believe they are capable of making desired impressions influences their impression management strategies and how they respond to other people's evaluations.
TL;DR: The authors compared and integrated the influence of motivational and situational determinants on news viewing behavior, and found that the viewing context was much more important than motivations, while watching more TV in general mainly explains news viewing, while for less interested viewers, lead-out effects and social viewing are more relevant.
Abstract: This study compared and integrated the influence of motivational and situational determinants on news viewing behavior. Individual people-meter data allowed the unobtrusive study of news viewing situations. The finding is that the viewing context is much more important than motivations. However, interest in the news and politics can reinforce or reverse situational influences. For interested viewers, watching more TV in general mainly explains news viewing, while for less interested viewers, lead-out effects and social viewing are more relevant.
TL;DR: In this article, the conceptual framework of Situational Crime Prevention can be meaningfully applied to the phenomena variously labelled "organized crime" and several approaches are identified which in different respects imply modifications to the situational framework in order to accommodate assumed specificities of ‘organized crime' including criminal activities transcending space and time, and "organized" criminals being capable of selecting and shaping crime settings.
Abstract: This essay and review examines to what extent the conceptual framework of Situational Crime Prevention can be meaningfully applied to the phenomena variously labelled ‘organized crime’. Several approaches are identified which in different respects imply modifications to the situational framework in order to accommodate assumed specificities of ‘organized crime’, including ‘organized’ criminal activities transcending space and time, and ‘organized’ criminals being capable of selecting and shaping crime settings. It is argued that while a situational approach to the study of ‘organized crime’ is useful in some respects, in other respects the conceptual framework of Situational Crime Prevention needs to be modified to a point where its universal applicability is called into question.
TL;DR: In this article, a critical review of the ethics decision-making literature from the 1980s to 2008 is presented, focusing on three research areas relating to the construction industry in ethical decision making: empirical studies on examining the associations between variables (individuals, situational/organisational, moral intensity) and employees' ethical behaviour in construction organisational contexts; continuous application of behavioural science theories to develop an appropriate ethical decision-maker model for the industry; and research on group and/or organisation.
Abstract: Purpose – Managing ethics has come to be considered a management discipline, especially since the birth of business ethics and social responsibility movements in the 1960s. However, there seems to be no comprehensive review and synthesis of ethics management literature in construction. This research aims to address the theory‐practice gap by providing a critical review of the ethics decision‐making literature.Design/methodology/approach – The study examines critically the ethics decision‐making literature from the 1980s to 2008.Findings – Three research focuses, relating to the construction industry in ethical decision making, are identified: empirical studies on examining the associations between variables (individuals, situational/organisational, moral intensity) and employees' ethical behaviour in construction organisational contexts; continuous application of behavioural science theories to develop an appropriate ethical decision‐making model for the industry; and research on group and/or organisation...
TL;DR: In this article, the influence of rarely empirically investigated situational factors (the size of the bribe, time pressure, and the degree of abstractness of the business code) on corrupt behavior was investigated.
Abstract: The literature states that both situational and individual factors contribute to corrupt behavior. This study investigates the influence of rarely empirically investigated situational factors – the size of the bribe, time pressure, and the degree of abstractness of the business code – on the Model of Corrupt Action that describes the subjective decision making process of corrupt actors. To test the effects, I used an experimental simulation design. Only few effects were found. Thus, my results show a certain robustness of corrupt behavior against the examined situational influences. Based on these results, I discuss implications for the prevention of corruption in organizations.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that situation ethics was a key feature of Roman ethics and that exempla may be understood as moral tools mediating between universal and particular, and that, within this framework, moral tools may be interpreted as moral mediators mediating.
Abstract: When reading exempla and applying them to ethical decisions, Romans had to bear in mind the principle of situational variability: whether an action can be judged to be right depends on the circumstances in which it is performed; what is right for one person in a given situation may not be right for another. This principle and its ramifications are articulated by Valerius Maximus, Facta et Dicta Memorabilia. Comparison with Cicero, de Officiis suggests that situation ethics was a key feature of Roman ethics and that, within this framework, exempla may be understood as moral tools mediating between universal and particular.
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19 Jul 2011TL;DR: The authors views culturally responsive teaching as a contextual and situational process for both teachers and students, including those who are from a diversity of languages, cultures, racial/ethnic backgrounds, religions, economic resources, interests, abilities, and life experiences.
Abstract: Views culturally responsive teaching as a contextual and situational process for both teachers and students—the students—including those who are from a diversity of languages, cultures, racial/ethnic backgrounds, religions, economic resources, interests, abilities, and life experiences.
TL;DR: This critical incident study explored nurses' descriptions of ethically difficult situations to identify priorities, action responses, and regrets and found that addressing patient autonomy and quality of life were ethical priorities in the majority of cases.
Abstract: Purpose: Nurses in all clinical settings encounter ethical issues that frequently lead to moral distress. This critical incident study explored nurses' descriptions of ethically difficult situations to identify priorities, action responses, and regrets.
Methods: Employing the critical incident technique, researchers developed a questionnaire that collected information on ethically difficult situations, nurse actions, and situational outcomes. Data on nursing priorities and actions were analyzed and categorized using a constant comparison technique.
Findings: Addressing patient autonomy and quality of life were ethical priorities in the majority of cases. In many cases, nurses analyzed ethics from a diffuse perspective and only considered one dimension of the ethics conflict. However, some nurses were specific in their ethical analysis and proactive in their action choices. Nurses also identified 12 ethics-specific nurse activities, five ways of being, three ways of knowing, and two ways of deliberating. In 21 cases, nurses chose not to pursue their concerns beyond providing standard care. Several nurses expressed significant regret in their narration; most regretted unnecessary pain and suffering, and some claimed they did not do enough for the patient.
Conclusions: Not enough specific, evidence-based ethics actions have been developed. Stronger and more proactive nursing voices with early ethics interventions would make valuable contributions to quality of care for patients, especially at the end of life.
Clinical Relevance: Ever-expanding treatment options raise ethical issues and challenge nurses to be effective patient advocates. Evidence-based nursing interventions that promptly identify and address moral conflict will benefit patients, their families, and the entire healthcare team by mitigating potential moral distress and disengagement.
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01 Jan 2011TL;DR: Reis, T.H. as discussed by the authors, provides a practical guide for relationships, focusing on three types of relationships: being swept away, being mowed over, and avoiding rejection.
Abstract: H. T. Reis, Foreword. 1. Motivating Responsiveness: Why a Smart Relationship Unconscious? 2. Procedural Rules for Responsiveness: The Motivation-Management Model. 3. Trust: When to Approach? 4. Commitment: How Close a Connection? 5. The Situational Risks: Seek Connection or Avoid Rejection? 6. The Rules for Seeking Connection: Increase and Justify Own Dependence. 7. The Rules for Avoiding Rejection: Withhold Own and Promote Partner Dependence. 8. Relationship Personality: Making Certain Rules a Habit. 9. Being Swept Away: How Passionate Love Makes It Natural to Connect. 10. Being Mowed Over: How Real Life Makes It Natural to Self-protect. 11. How the Person, the Pairing, and the Context Make (or Break) Relationships. 12. A Practical Guide for Relationships.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that cheating and plagiarism will not be as effective as understanding why these behaviors occur and that the University's reaction to cheating should therefore seek to incorporate tolerance for behaviors that are nonetheless viewed as antithetical to the Enlightenment morality still dominant in academic cultures.
Abstract: Current research establishes that a values shift justifying a positive regard of cheating has been replacing the more traditional standard of viewing cheating as a priori unethical, immoral, and wrong (Blum, 2009, Sacks, 1996). However, researchers seem to be more aware of this shift in values than are the professors and university administrations who have sent out a call for solutions to the problems of cheating and plagiarism on campuses, as well as in high schools and other learning arenas (Volpe, et. al., 2008, McCabe, et. al., 2001). In fact, while attention is focused on solutions to the problem of cheating, cheating continues to increase (Josephson Institute of Ethics Report Card, 2011) That the professoriate is only now beginning to wonder about the nature of this shift is understandable since the shift from modern to post-modern values perspectives is not generally well understood (Inglehart, 2008, Pew Research Center, 2010) In fact, even a cursory Google search quickly reveals a preponderance of references for catching and punishing cheating and plagiarism. Values shift research, on the other hand, establishes an empirical basis for arguing that societal outlooks on sexual behavior, sexual orientation, family values, and other traditional values, like truthfulness, have been replaced by what Inglehart and others identify as post modern value orientations (Inglehart, 2008; Blum, 2009) These outlooks, as the evidence indicates, are much more tolerant of situational, personalized, and relational solutions to ethical dilemmas, inclusive of cheating and plagiarism, than has historically been the case. This paper will attempt to show, as an illustration of changes in values that are here to stay, not only that cheating happens, but also why it does. I will also argue that the University's reaction to cheating should therefore seek to incorporate tolerance for behaviors that are nonetheless viewed as antithetical to the Enlightenment morality still dominant in academic cultures. In other words, I will argue that reacting by punishing cheating and plagiarism will not be as effective as understanding why these behaviors occur. The need is to adapt performance criteria to these new realities rather than act to repress or punish them. Traditional outlooks--from not lying about chopping down the cherry tree to what McCabe and others refer to as "honor code violations"--are based on beliefs about immutable notions about right and wrong that no longer apply, either literally or figuratively (McCabe, 2001, Center for Academic Integrity, 1990). New values for performance and behavior are needed in a world where students born after 1982 prefer to engage in decisions based on personality, relationship, and expediency rather than on abstract rules about right or wrong. In thinking about the meaning of post modem values shift, the inapplicability of the 18th Century Enlightenment ideals that dominated the moral development of generations before the most recent is starkly clear in example after example of the explanations given by students for cheating (Blum, 58-59) One way to understand the differences between the modern value orientations still held by much of the professoriate and the post modern value orientations that reflected in attitudes and behaviors of the most recent generation of students is to contrast core concepts as follows: Traditional/Modern Post Modern/Emergent 1. objective merit Merit as subjective and relational 2. universal application of Situational application of grading standards grading standards 3. adherence to exegetically Opportunism, expedience and Self derived standards and rules as authority 4. detached/ professional Engaged, involved application of application of standards standards, expectations 5. individual accomplishment Communal/collaborative effort highest regard highest regard 6. …
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the situational contexts associated with violence against college students and found that most incidents of campus violence share situational contexts that are similar to off-campus incidents, and that the most common context of violence experienced by college students is minor assaults against males that occur off campus and in front of bystanders.
Abstract: National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) data (n = 1,431) collected from 1995 through 2005 are used to examine the situational contexts associated with violence against college students. Findings from the conjunctive analysis indicate that violence against college students occurs in a diverse yet concentrated pattern of situational contexts. The most common context of violence experienced by college students is minor assaults against males that occur off-campus and in front of bystanders. Finally, although off-campus violence is relatively more common than on-campus violence, most incidents of campus violence share situational contexts that are similar to off-campus incidents. Implications of these results on future research and public policy on reducing students' victimization risks are discussed.
01 Jan 2011
TL;DR: In this article, an approach to practice research is presented, where the main ideas of practice research are to consider the empirical field in terms of practices, to develop knowledge through situational inquiries, and to develop a knowledge base.
Abstract: An approach to practice research is presented. The main ideas of practice research is 1) to consider the empirical field in terms of practices, 2) to develop knowledge through situational inquiries ...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined the impacts of performance pressure, interpersonal conflict, the leader's decision-making autonomy, the type of ethical issue at hand, and the level of authority of the other person involved in the interaction.
Abstract: Leader ethical decision-making has received a great deal of attention in the academic literature Most research examining ethical leadership has focused on the leader characteristics and subordinate outcomes associated with ethical leadership, but research examining the situational variables influencing leader ethical decision-making is limited Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine a number of situational variables that may influence leader ethical decision-making This study examined the impacts of performance pressure, interpersonal conflict, the leader's decision-making autonomy, the type of ethical issue at hand, and the level of authority of the other person involved in the interaction The results indicated that when making a decision in response to a superior (as opposed to a peer or subordinate), leaders make worse decisions Additionally, a number of interactions of the other variables negatively impacted leaders' ethical decision-making The implications of these findings are discussed
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the situational malleability of gender schema and specifically the association between competitive sport and masculinity at the intraindividual level and found that participants responded higher and faster on masculine items when the competitive sport context was presented.
Abstract: In this research we examined the situational malleability of gender schema and specifically the association between competitive sport and masculinity at the intraindividual level. Based on Deaux and Major’s (1987) interactive assumption, we predicted that a competitive sport context would activate the masculine dimension in gender schema. Participants were 64 French undergraduate students who evaluated themselves on the Bem Sex Role Inventory in general, in a competitive sport context, and in a cinema context. In addition to femininity and masculinity scores in each context, response latencies were also collected. The results indicated that participants responded higher and faster on masculine items when the competitive sport context was presented, showing that this association is well anchored in gender schema.
TL;DR: By understanding the roles of situational obstacles faced by trained gatekeepers at their work and the support they receive from supervisors and organizations, appropriate strategies can be identified and applied to facilitate gatekeeper performance.
Abstract: Background: Although the effectiveness of suicide-prevention gatekeeper-training programs in improving knowledge, atti- tudes, and referral practices has been documented, their effects do not seem to be lasting. Aims: This study investigated situational obstacles at work that prevent suicide-prevention gatekeepers from engaging in suicide-prevention behavior and the role of social support in modifying the relationship between situational obstacles and suicide-prevention behaviors. Methods: 193 gatekeepers completed an online survey to rate the obstacles they had experienced at work since completing a gatekeeper-training program and the support received from coworkers, supervisors, and the organization. Participants also reported the frequency of suicide-prevention behaviors performed. Results: The results indicated that both situational obstacles and social support predicted the number of suicide-prevention behaviors performed, as expected. There was also a trend that support from supervisors and the organization may alleviate the adverse effect of situational obstacles on suicide-prevention behavior. Limitations: The cross-sectional nature of the study does not allow for directional, causal conclusions to be drawn. Conclusions: By understanding the roles of situational obstacles faced by trained gatekeepers at their work and the support they receive from supervisors and organizations, appropriate strategies can be identified and applied to facilitate gatekeeper performance.
TL;DR: This article conducted a vignette survey to investigate the effects of situational factors, such as a group's size, the amount of status differentiation among its members, and the type of task on which they work, on respondents' reports of the "fair allocation" of resources to members of status-heterogeneous task groups.
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02 Sep 2011
TL;DR: Model relativism, the explicit consideration of the use and user in model development, has important implications for building models, for implementing those models and for developing teaching programs.
Abstract: A model is not a theory. A theory implies “best possible” representation of a situation and should, (for a given analyst, at least), be unique. An analyst, however, may build several “right” models of a particular situation, each for a different use or user. Model relativism, the explicit consideration of the use and user in model development, has important implications for building models, for implementing those models and for developing teaching programs. Some of those implications are explored in this paper.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identified six factors with no extraneous items were identified: bad experience, institutional reasons, lack of resources, course offerings, cost/benefit ratio and childcare for potential adult students at a small private tuition-driven undergraduate college.
Abstract: As institutions of higher learning have seen the aging of American college students, they have been increasingly concerned about helping them overcome what deters their reentry. Adult perception of deterrents is identified in this study. Analysis and the factor structure underlying these deterrents is examined in the Situational, Institutional, and Dispositional category of deterrents. Six factors with no extraneous items were identified: bad experience, institutional reasons, lack of resources, course offerings, cost/benefit ratio and childcare were identified for potential adult students at a small private tuition-driven undergraduate college. This complex set of findings fits with barriers established in the literature. Bad Experience, a dispositional barrier, and the Institutional factor correspond to Cross’ (1981) typology. Lack of Resources and Course Offerings are spread among situational, institutional and dispositional factors. Cost/Benefit Ratio is situational and institutional. Childcare is situational. This study contributes to a complex model of deterrents to participation.
TL;DR: These results support a neurobiological differentiation between care and justice ethics and suggest that human moral behavior reflects the outcome of integrating opposing rule-based, self-other perspectives, and emotional responses.
Abstract: Background
Moral sensitivity refers to the interpretive awareness of moral conflict and can be justice or care oriented. Justice ethics is associated primarily with human rights and the application of moral rules, whereas care ethics is related to human needs and a situational approach involving social emotions. Among the core brain regions involved in moral issue processing are: medial prefrontal cortex, anterior (ACC) and posterior (PCC) cingulate cortex, posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), insula and amygdala. This study sought to inform the long standing debate of whether care and justice moral ethics represent one or two different forms of cognition.
Methodology/Principal Findings
Model-free and model-based connectivity analysis were used to identify functional neural networks underlying care and justice ethics for a moral sensitivity task. In addition to modest differences in patterns of associated neural activity, distinct modes of functional and effective connectivity were observed for moral sensitivity for care and justice issues that were modulated by individual variation in moral ability.
Conclusions/Significance
These results support a neurobiological differentiation between care and justice ethics and suggest that human moral behavior reflects the outcome of integrating opposing rule-based, self-other perspectives, and emotional responses.
08 Oct 2011
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors discuss the relationship between wealth and happiness and the role of social and cultural moderators of the relationship, which they call "poor and distressed, but happy".
Abstract: Poor and distressed, but happy: situational and cultural moderators of the relationship between wealth and happiness.