Does National Context Matter in Ethical Decision Making? An Empirical Test of Integrative Social Contracts Theory

Abstract

We tested the empirical validity of integrative social contracts theory by comparing the responses on an ethics survey of Americans working in Russia and in the United States. “Hypernorms” and “local norms” moderated the effect of national context on ethical evaluations and intended behaviors. In hypernorm situations, location played little role: all respondents shared similar ethical attitudes. In local norm situations, however, attitudes diverged. Our findings support the hypothesis that integrative social contracts theory can explain how expatriates evaluate ethical dilemmas abroad.