People are More Moral in Uncertain Environments
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Series
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Speaker(s)Songfa Zhong (National University of Singapore, Singapore; Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)
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FieldOrganizations and Markets
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LocationErasmus University Rotterdam, Campus Woudestein, room T3-14
Rotterdam -
Date and time
June 14, 2024
15:30 - 16:45
Abstract
This paper documents a behavioral pattern that people behave more morally in uncertain environments than degenerate deterministic environments. Through a series of experiments, we show that this pattern is robust and generalizable. The overall findings are incompatible with standard models that respect dominance and can be partially explained by the complexity aspect of uncertainty. We further discuss a mechanism whereby people act morally as if their moral behavior can help them obtain a better outcome as the result of uncertainty.