New research says men are more likely than women to bend the truth, hide facts, or generally say whatever they think will get a business deal done, whether or not their actions are ethical.

Lead author Dr. Laura Kray, PhD, of the University of California-Berkeley, puts it this way:

Males more readily justify moral misconduct by minimizing its consequences or otherwise excusing it

Four tests were used to explore the moral perameters of men and women. One looked at "ethically questionable negotiating tactics", misrepresenting relevant information or making false promises, for instance. The researchers discovered that men were much more likely than women to cut ethical corners in the name of getting a deal done.

It should be noted that the study focused on business students. Previous research has suggested that business students are more likely to feel comfortable with questionable ethics than the general public.Still, it makes a woman salesperson sound like the one you may prefer to deal with.

[psmag.com]

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