title: The effect of construal level on unethical behavior.
abstract: Construal level theory predicts that people will judge immoral events more harshly when these are presented in a way that elicits a higher construal level, relative to a lower construal level. Previous research supported this prediction using an Israeli sample but not a U.S.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article compared Israeli and U.S. samples with respect to the interactive effect of utility and construal level on unethical behavioral intentions. We found that construal level did not affect unethical behavioral intentions in either the U.S. samples for low-utility level or the Israeli samples for low- and high-utility levels. In contrast, construal level affected unethical behavioral intentions in the U.S. sample for high-utility level: unethical behavioral intentions were higher in the low-construal level compared to the high-construal level. We discuss these findings and suggest additional factors that challenge arguments concerning the direct effect of construal level on unethical behavior.
authors.affiliation: a Ruppin Academic Center.
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gamliel
authors.affiliation: a Ruppin Academic Center.
authors.forename: Hamutal
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kreiner
authors.affiliation: b Florida Gulf Coast University.
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: McElroy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D009014:Morals; D012919:Social Behavior; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Consequentialism; construal level theory; deontology; moral judgment; unethical behavior; utility