ABSTRACT

Using an anonymous self-report survey of 350 Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel, this study investigated the effect of perceptions of the ethicality of one’s immediate supervisor (supervisor ethics), right-wing authoritarianism (RWA), and ethical climate on self-reported unethical behavior in the form of discrimination and obeying an unlawful command (past behavior, behavioral intentions). As well, we investigated how supervisor ethics and RWA interact when predicting unethical behavior, and whether ethical climate mediated the relation between supervisor ethics and self-reported unethical behavior. Unethical behavior depended on perceptions of the ethicality of one’s supervisor and RWA. RWA predicted discrimination toward a gay man (behavioral intentions), and supervisor ethics predicted discrimination against outgroups of people, and obedience of an unlawful command (past behavior). As well, the effects of ethical supervision on discrimination (past behavior, behavioral intentions) depended on participants’ level of RWA . Finally, ethical climate mediated the relation between supervisor ethics and obeying an unlawful command, such that higher perceptions of supervisor ethics led to a higher ethical climate, which led to less obedience of an unlawful command in the past. This suggests that leaders can affect the ethical climate of on organization, which in turn affects ethical behavior of followers.

摘要

通过对 350 名加拿大武装部队 (CAF) 人员进行匿名自我报告调查，本研究调查了直属上司的道德观念（上司道德）、右翼独裁主义 (RWA) 和道德氛围对自我评价的影响。以歧视和服从非法命令（过去的行为、行为意图）的形式报告了不道德的行为。同样，我们调查了主管道德和 RWA 在预测不道德行为时如何相互作用，以及道德氛围是否调节了主管道德与自我报告的不道德行为之间的关系。不道德行为取决于对主管和 RWA 道德的看法。RWA 预测了对男同性恋者的歧视（行为意图），而主管道德则预测了对外群体的歧视，和服从非法命令（过去的行为）。同样，道德监督对歧视（过去的行为、行为意图）的影响取决于参与者的 RWA 水平。最后，道德氛围调节了主管道德与服从非法命令之间的关系，因此，对主管道德的更高感知会导致更高的道德氛围，从而导致过去对非法命令的服从程度降低。这表明领导者可以影响组织的道德氛围，进而影响追随者的道德行为。道德氛围调节了主管道德与服从非法命令之间的关系，使得对主管道德的更高感知导致更高的道德氛围，这导致过去对非法命令的服从更少。这表明领导者可以影响组织的道德氛围，进而影响追随者的道德行为。道德氛围调节了主管道德与服从非法命令之间的关系，使得对主管道德的更高感知导致更高的道德氛围，这导致过去对非法命令的服从更少。这表明领导者可以影响组织的道德氛围，进而影响追随者的道德行为。