Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/185125 
Year of Publication: 
2018
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 11665
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
By downplaying externalities, magnifying the cost of moral behavior, or suggesting not being pivotal, exculpatory narratives can allow individuals to maintain a positive image when in fact acting in a morally questionable way. Conversely, responsibilizing narratives can help sustain better social norms. We investigate when narratives emerge from a principal or the actor himself, how they are interpreted and transmitted by others, and when they spread virally. We then turn to how narratives compete with imperatives (general moral rules or precepts) as alternative modes of communication to persuade agents to behave in desirable ways.
Subjects: 
moral behavior
prosocial behavior
narratives
imperatives
justifications
rules
Kantian reasoning
deontology
consequentialism
utilitarianism
norms
organizations
JEL: 
D62
D64
D78
D83
D85
D91
H41
K42
L14
Z13
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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