Abstract
The Protestant Work Ethic (PWE) is a powerful force in Western culture with far reaching effects on our values and judgments. While research on PWE as a cultural value is abundant in diverse disciplines, little research has explored how this cultural value facilitates the use of heuristics when evaluating the morality of others. Using both PWE and illusory correlation as foundations, this paper explores whether people attribute positive moral characteristics to others merely based upon a description as hardworking. Three experiments suggest merely being described as hardworking leads to perceptions of greater honesty, a more careful and detailed approach to one’s work, accompanied by a lesser likelihood of engaging in cheating behavior and a greater likelihood of accountability. These results have implications regarding the detection of deviant/fraudulent behavior.
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Appendix
Appendix
Study 1 Vignettes
Strong Work Ethic
Henry started his “A Touch of Nature” wood flooring business in 2008. Clients rave about Henry’s work ethic and a former client stated on a review website that Henry worked 48 h without sleep to get the job completed on time. Recently, Henry installed a wood floor for a client named Sarah. Initially, Sarah was happy with the installed flooring but she recently has become concerned that Henry might have used cheaper materials instead of the high-end materials that she paid for.
Indolent
Henry started his “A Touch of Nature” wood flooring business in 2008. Clients find Henry likable but note that he casually goes about his work without any sense of urgency. On a review website, a former client stated that he was happy with the floor and the work Henry did even though it took an extra week so Henry could go deep sea fishing. Recently, Henry installed a wood floor for a client named Sarah. Initially, Sarah was happy with the installed flooring but she recently has become concerned that Henry might have used cheaper materials instead of the high-end materials that she paid for.
Study 2 Vignettes
Hardworking
Henry started his “A Touch of Nature” wood flooring business in 2008. Clients rave about how hard Henry works and a former client stated on a review website that Henry worked 48 h without sleep to get the job completed on time. Recently, Henry installed a wood floor for a client named Sarah. Initially, Sarah was happy with the installed flooring but she recently has become concerned that Henry might have used cheaper materials instead of the high-end materials that she paid for.
Indolent
Henry started his “A Touch of Nature” wood flooring business in 2008. Clients note that he casually goes about his work without any sense of urgency. On a review website, a former client stated that he was happy with the floor and the work Henry did even though it took an extra week so Henry could go deep sea fishing. Recently, Henry installed a wood floor for a client named Sarah. Initially, Sarah was happy with the installed flooring but she recently has become concerned that Henry might have used cheaper materials instead of the high-end materials that she paid for.
Study 3 Vignettes
Hardworking
Henry started his “A Touch of Nature” wood flooring business in 2008. Clients rave about how hard Henry works and a former client stated on a review website that Henry worked 48 h without sleep to get the job completed on time. Recently, Henry installed a wood floor for a client named Sarah. Initially, Sarah was happy with the installed flooring but she recently has become concerned that Henry might have used cheaper materials instead of the high-end materials that she paid for.
Indolent
Henry started his “A Touch of Nature” wood flooring business in 2008. Clients note that he casually goes about his work without any sense of urgency. On a review website, a former client stated that he was happy with the floor and the work Henry did even though it took an extra week so Henry could go deep sea fishing. Recently, Henry installed a wood floor for a client named Sarah. Initially, Sarah was happy with the installed flooring but she recently has become concerned that Henry might have used cheaper materials instead of the high-end materials that she paid for.
Control
Henry started his “A Touch of Nature” wood flooring business in 2008. On a review website, customers neither complain nor rave about how hard Henry works. Recently, Henry installed a wood floor for a client named Sarah. Initially, Sarah was happy with the installed flooring but she recently has become concerned that Henry might have used cheaper materials instead of the high-end materials that she paid for.
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Amos, C., Zhang, L. & Read, D. Hardworking as a Heuristic for Moral Character: Why We Attribute Moral Values to Those Who Work Hard and Its Implications. J Bus Ethics 158, 1047–1062 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3725-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3725-x