Why “Good” People Do “Bad” Things [1]

We always say, “If people were just nicer to each other the world would be a very different place.” But when we say nicer are we really just referring to behaving in a way that is honest? We all aspire to be good people, but thinking good thoughts and acting in accordance with them are two separate things. Think about the last time you wanted to call in sick to work and weren’t really ill, or were involved in a home sale and tweaked the negations in your favour. How did you actually come up with the decision? These common ethical dilemmas appear in every facet of our lives, from personal to professional to political. It’s no surprise that unethical behaviour is widespread in our society, as acting dishonestly sometimes “gets you ahead.” There are two factors, according to a brand new study published in the Personality and Social Bulletin, that promote ethical decision making.