Title
The Influence of Anger on Ethical Decision Making: Comparison of a Primary and Secondary Appraisal
Document Type
Article
Department or Administrative Unit
Management
Publication Date
2011
Abstract
Higher order cognitive processes, including ethical decision making (EDM), are influenced by the experiencing of discrete emotions. Recent research highlights the negative influence one such emotion, anger, has on EDM and its underlying processes. The mechanism, however, by which anger disrupts the EDM has not been investigated. The current study sought to discover whether cognitive appraisals of an emotion-evoking event are the driving mechanisms behind the influence of anger on EDM. One primary (goal obstacle) and one secondary (certainty) appraisal of anger were examined. Study results suggest that appraisals of certainty are the driving mechanism behind the negative relationship between anger and EDM. Certainty appraisals led to less application of EDM-promoting strategies and more unethical social motives. Findings further highlight the value of investigating appraisals of emotional events, given their cognitive nature, for their potential effects on cognitive operations, such as EDM. Future directions and implications are discussed.
Recommended Citation
Thiel, C.E., Connelly, S. & Griffith, J.A. (2011). The influence of anger on ethical decision making: Comparison of a primary and secondary appraisal. Ethics and Behavior, 21(5), 380-403. DOI: 10.1080/10508422.2011.604295
Journal
Ethics and Behavior
Rights
Copyright © 2011 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Comments
This article was originally published in Ethics and Behavior. The full-text article from the publisher can be found here.
Due to copyright restrictions, this article is not available for download from ScholarWorks @ CWU.