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Date of Graduation
Summer 2015
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Department of Graduate Psychology
Advisor(s)
Richard Fuller West
Jeff Dyche
Abstract
This study examined the extent to which myside bias was observed in the context of ethical decision making. In judgment and decision making research the resistance of myside bias is described as a component of rational thinking. Thus, to some effect, this study aimed to examine the extent to which people act rationally when making ethical decisions. Measures of thinking dispositions (actively open-minded thinking and need for cognition) as well as measures of cognitive reflection and probabilistic knowledge were included in the study to examine their associations with myside bias in ethical decisions. Modest myside bias effects were observed between and within-subjects, however, for within-subjects bias the effect failed to reach statistical significance. Exploration of the data beyond the study’s main research questions revealed significant myside bias effects for participants categorized as utilitarian. Finally, actively open-minded thinking was found to moderate myside bias effects.
Recommended Citation
Hohn, Richard E., "Myside bias in probabilistic ethical decision making" (2015). Masters Theses, 2010-2019. 68.
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/master201019/68
