How Ethical Are You?
I own up to my mistakes when I make them.
I make sure to acknowledge people who contribute to success.
I push myself to make ethical choices even when it's difficult.
Seeing someone act unethically would make me think about speaking up.
I'm not afraid to say when I've gotten something wrong.
I carry out instructions even when they don't feel morally right.
I would never intentionally hurt another human being.
I'm okay with getting recognition for things I didn't actually do.
I protect private information and don't share it.
When I promise something to someone, I work hard to follow through.
Before I do something, I think about how it might affect other people.
I value being honest and straightforward in how I act.
If someone offered me a personal advantage for giving them special treatment, it would feel wrong.
I think everyone deserves to be treated justly and truthfully, no matter what.
There are times when I claim to have worked longer hours than I really did.
I welcome honest opinions about how I behave and what I could do better.
I honor what other people are entitled to as individuals.
I try to stick to my moral standards even if it costs me personally.
Being dishonest with people is something that bothers me.
Those in authority shouldn't exploit their roles for their own benefit.
20 questions remaining
What You Should Know
- Morality is the way you act based on certain rules, which are the values you use to decide what is right and wrong. Morality usually has to do with personal choices, while ethics usually has to do with rules that society has set.
- Studies indicate that humans possess an intrinsic moral sense from infancy. But the environment also matters, because morality is sometimes, but not always, shown in different ways by people from different cultures.
- Psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg came up with a theory that says people go through six stages of moral development as they grow up, from Obedience and Punishment Orientation (stage 1) to Universal Principles (stage 6).
- Studies have shown that moral thoughts and actions make us feel better about ourselves and are good for our overall health.
- Finding and living by your core values can help you grow as a person, have healthy relationships, and feel good about yourself in society. Studies indicate that value congruence correlates with enhanced life satisfaction, self-esteem, and positive affect.
Change
Take a moral inventory. Ask yourself if you're making the right choices for the right reasons, or if you're just trying to make people happy, avoid punishment, or do something else.
Look into your values. Think about your core values, like honesty, resilience, being true to yourself, or learning new things every day. Then try to live by them every day.
Get therapy: If you're worried about bad or questionable behavior, talking to a mental health professional can help.
