Ethics and Disgust? You might be surprised

gayle_yamazaki
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‎06-01-2015 12:24 PM

The choices we make. Is it freewill or something else? We oftentimes feel like we're making choices of our own free will, but there might be related experiences that are exude unseen influence on our choices and behaviors. If you have 2 minutes, listen to this NPR Story that explains some research into the influence of Disgust on Ethical behavior:

http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=411138504&m=411138505

This might be an interesting topic to bring up with students. Ask them to predict how a sample of people would behave after seeing a disgustingly dirty toilet when playing a game with other participants. Would the people who saw the dirty toilet be less or more likely to cheat at the game to beat their opponent. It might make for a likely discussion.

If you have 2 minutes, see what the research suggests.

If you have access to ScienceDirect, here is the link to the original article: Protect thyself: How affective self-protection increases self-interested, unethical behavior

Let me know how this works in class, your thoughts, and comments.

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About the Author
Dr. Yamazaki has been involved in adult education since the mid-1980's. She has developed technology-based education for the Air Force, commercial industry, and for higher education. She is certified in instruction systems design. She has taught courses for the Air Force and at community college, college, and university institutions. She was awarded the teaching excellence award at the US Air Force Academy as an instructor for the behavioral sciences. In her work with Macmillan Higher Education, she works with educators and editorial to consult on the development of educational products, services, and experiences for higher education.