Abstract
The relationship between intuition and ethical decision-making has been researched extensively during the past two decades. This study aimed at exploring empirically observable associations between intuition and the moral intensity of ethical decision-making processes. A scenario-based quantitative approach was used to collect data from 157 practising professional spirit mediums. It was found that only collective universal intuition had a significant positive association with the moral intensity of ethical decision-making processes. Personal experience intuition and collective archetype intuition were not significantly associated with moral intensity. This may explain why previous studies were unable to gauge the effects of intuition on ethical decision-making. The results suggest that a pure mind can improve one’s ability to make decisions. Thus, decision-makers would benefit by being more attuned to their sense of morality.
Highlights
BackgroundIntuition has been found to considerably influence how people react to judgements (Dutton 2010)
Much work has been conducted already to examine the association between intuition and ethical decision-making (EDM)
This study aims to examine whether intuition is associated with the moral intensity (MI) of EDM processes, by surveying professional spirit mediums
Summary
BackgroundIntuition has been found to considerably influence how people react to judgements (Dutton 2010). Rationalist researchers have suggested that moral decisions are usually based on deliberate reasoning (Becker 1976; Jones 1991; Kohlberg 1971; Rest 1986). Following decades of rationalist dominance under the auspices of a cognitive paradigm (Kohlberg 1971), moral psychology has turned towards emotion and intuition in studying decisions and decision-making (Ellertson, Ingerson & Richard 2016; Haidt 2001; Schwartz 2016; Sonenshein 2007). According to Haidt’s (2001) social intuitionist model, moral judgements are caused by rapid moral intuitions, which are accompanied by post-hoc moral reasoning. Sonenshein (2007) argues that people facing an ethical issue make intuitive judgements instantaneously and that these judgements are followed by explanations and justifications. As Mikhail (2007) states, it is necessary to build on the models and arguments that accord intuition an important role in EDM processes
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