The Influence of Role Models on Negotiation Ethics of College Students

Abstract

Role models can be highly influential in conveying ethical standards. This study investigates the influence various categories of role models have had on a population of over 1,600 undergraduate students in Texas, Oregon and Michigan. Those identifying clergy, boy scout leaders, friends and college advisors as role models exhibited less willingness to adopt questionable ethical behavior in negotation situations. Journalist and spouse role models tended to cause students to be more accepting of questionable behavior. Individuals with strong end-result and social contract ethical philosophies, as well as males and those who served in the military exhibited strong tendencies toward less than ethical behavior. Individuals with strong rule ethical philosophy, high levels of religiousity, and those with a cooperative attitude in negotiations tended to adopt higher ethical standards in negotiations.

Employee attitudes toward questionable negotiation tactics: empirical evidence from Peru

“…Robertson et al's (2008) study revealed that idealism was negatively related to Chinese managers' willingness to sacrifice their ethical standards for financial rewards. In their research among university students, Perry and Nixon (2005) reported that individuals who accept (highly idealistic) rule ethics practice lower levels of unethical behavior, whereas individuals who accept (less idealistic) end-result ethics display higher levels of unethical behavior.…”

Accounting for the Public Interest

“…However, Demarco ( 1996 ) maintains that nurturing virtue is not enough; an organization must also eliminate vice (i.e., enable continuous ethical improvement (Arnold et al 1997 )). As college advisors and teachers, we have a responsibility to be ethical and nurture ethical behavior because students are less likely to adopt questionable behavior when their role models were their college advisors (Perry and Nixon 2005 ). Finally, while we can help students identify their hero(es) to model their behavior (Collins 1985 ), we must also work at reducing the environment that accepts cheating as our academic society's norm.…”

“…McCabe et al ( 2001 , p. 219) note that "students' perceptions of peers' behavior, are the most powerful infl uence" on students' cheating behavior. Students were less likely to adopt questionable behavior when their role models were clergy, youth leaders (i.e., boy-scout leaders), and college advisors (Perry and Nixon 2005 ). Students were also more supportive of cheaters who were their friends compared to cheaters who were strangers (Jendrek 1992 ); in fact, about 80 % of the students indicated that they would help a friend to cheat (Davis et al 1992 ).…”

Health Behaviour of Higher Education Employees – Value-Transmitting Conduct of Professionals to their Students

“…Role-models could be those individuals whose behaviour is an example or a model for others, who want to learn these (Filstad et al, 2007). Certain professional values, attitudes, forms of behaviour (Paice et al, 2005), success in sciences and professional career (Perry & Nixon, 2005) can also be examples. This way the health status and lifestyle of Higher Education professionals affect university students, hence they influence their students' health behaviour through their behaviour, habits and customs.…”