How the Effect of Personal Gain on Unethical Behavior is Mitigated by Specific and General Rules

Abstract

Earlier research suggested that unethical behavior can better be discouraged by installing specific rules (“Don’t accepts gifts from clients”) than by installing general rules (“Don’t engage in conflicts of interest”). Still, policy makers often prefer to use general rules. The current investigation examines personal gain from unethical behavior as a condition that determines the difference in success between specific and general rules. The results of three preregistered experiments suggest that specific rules, because they put a restraint on moral rationalizations, are more successful in counteracting the increase in unethical behavior induced by high potential personal gain. As a result, the superiority of specific over general rules becomes more prominent as personal gain from unethical behavior increase. This research contributes to theories regarding rules, ethical codes, and the influence of personal gain or incentives rising from unethical behavior. A practical implication for supervisory parties who prefer the use of general rules is to restrict their use for those situations in which rewards from unethical behavior are not particularly high.