Emotional Intelligence as an Influence on Ethical Behavior: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Previous research on ethical behavior has used the Defining Issues Test (DIT) (Rest, 1993) measure of cognitive moral development to predict ethical behavior. The DIT measures rational, as opposed to affective, content of the process leading to ethical behavioral choices. This research introduces Emotional Intelligence (EI) in an attempt to explain more variance in ethical behavior. Data is collected in an experimental economics lab where there are cash payoffs for decisions made. Results indicate that EI does explain some variance in ethical behavior