The Influence of Temporal Orientation and Affective Frame on Use of Ethical Decision-Making Strategies

Abstract

This study examined the role of temporal orientation and affective frame in the execution of ethical decision-making strategies. In reflecting on a past experience or imagining a future experience, participants thought about experiences that they considered either positive or negative. The participants recorded their thinking about that experience by responding to several questions, and their responses were content-analyzed for the use of ethical decision-making strategies. The findings indicated that a future temporal orientation was associated with greater strategy use. Likewise, a positive affective frame was associated with greater strategy use. Future orientation may permit better strategy execution than a past orientation because it facilitates more objective, balanced contemplation of the reflected-upon situation and minimizes potential self-threat associated with past behavior. A positive affective frame likely improves strategy execution because it facilitates active analysis of the experience. Future directions and implications of these findings are discussed.

Keywords:

• affective framing
• ethical decision making
• metacognitive strategies
• sensemaking
• temporal orientation

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This research was supported by grant 5R01NR010341-02 from the National Institutes of Health and the Office of Research Integrity, Michael D. Mumford, Principal Investigator. We would also like to thank Drs. Ryan Brown, Jay Caughron, and Xiaoqian Wang for their contributions to the present effort. Finally, we would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments in making this a better article.