Illustrating Cognitive Errors in Moral Decision Making

Abstract

Using a behavioral ethics framework and YouTube video clips, this exercise engages students in a demonstration of how people employ cognitive errors and self-deception to protect their interests when making ethical decisions. This approach helps instructors supplement lessons using normative theories to teach business ethics. Normative theories focus on the process of reasoning and offer decision rules for how people should make ethical decisions; behavioral ethics examines how people actually make such decisions and studies the frequent mistakes made during the process. Showing people actually making cognitive errors via video clips makes a stronger and more lasting impression than simply discussing it or reading about it.