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How the minimalist model of ownership psychology can aid in explaining moral behaviors under resource constraints

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 October 2023

Panagiotis Mitkidis Open the ORCID record for Panagiotis Mitkidis [Opens in a new window]  and
Christian T. Elbaek
Panagiotis Mitkidis
Affiliation:
Department of Management, Aarhus University, Fuglesangs alle 4, Aarhus V, Denmark pm@mgmt.au.dk; https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/panagiotis-mitkidis(ca495362-7cd4-473c-99a9-aad26088e872).html chel@mgmt.au.dk; https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/christian-truelsen-elbaek(24b06155-fef3-417b-8dc2-f33b86d1e117).html
Christian T. Elbaek
Affiliation:
Department of Management, Aarhus University, Fuglesangs alle 4, Aarhus V, Denmark pm@mgmt.au.dk; https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/panagiotis-mitkidis(ca495362-7cd4-473c-99a9-aad26088e872).html chel@mgmt.au.dk; https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/christian-truelsen-elbaek(24b06155-fef3-417b-8dc2-f33b86d1e117).html
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Abstract

The model of ownership psychology as a cognitive adaptation proposes that people flexibly navigate cognitive systems of cooperation and competition, thus enabling them to justify unethical behavior. We discuss how this model captures previous accounts of unethical behavior and propose that a disengagement heuristic can help us understand recent findings in the interconnection between scarcity psychology and unethical behavior.

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Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 46 , 2023 , e343
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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