“We have completely lost our conscience,” we are outraged when we learn about another scam by businessmen, politicians or financiers. Do these areas really attract unprincipled egoists who are ready to do anything for profit?
No, it’s exactly the opposite, a team of economists from the University of Zurich (Switzerland) found out *. Behavior and attitudes change under the influence of the internal «standards» of the profession and its perception from the outside. Phrases like “nothing personal, just business” convey the cynicism of the business community, where human relationships are sacrificed for “cause.” Psychologists attribute this to the priming effect: our assessments and behavior are determined by previous observations and experiences. It is interesting that in other social roles, dishonest businessmen can show themselves as decent people. How to get rid of the influence of environmental stereotypes? One option is to target “positive outsiders” who have succeeded without compromising principles.
* Nature, 2014, vol. 516.