Measure of Ethical Viewpoints

Abstract

The Measure of Ethical Viewpoints (MEY), developed by Brady and Wheeler in 1996, is a psychological instrument designed to assess an individual’s primary orientation when making ethical judgments, typically focusing on employee populations. The MEY posits that ethical decision-making aligns predominantly with one of two distinct philosophical frameworks: the utilitarian approach or the formal approach.

The measure employs a dual assessment methodology. The first approach uses seven ethical vignettes, each followed by four statements (two utilitarian and two formal), totaling 28 items. Respondents rate the similarity of these statements to their own thinking. The second approach requires respondents to rate the importance of 13 specific character traits (seven utilitarian traits and six formal traits). This comprehensive assessment allows for the quantification of an individual’s reliance on consequentialist reasoning versus rule-based adherence.

Keywords

Ethical Viewpoints, Utilitarianism, Formalism, Ethical Decision-Making, Business Ethics, Psychological Measurement, Vignettes, Trait Ratings.

Authors

F. N. Brady, G. E. Wheeler

Purpose

The primary purpose of the MEY is to categorize and quantify the inherent ethical disposition of respondents, particularly in professional and organizational contexts. It seeks to determine whether an individual predominantly relies on consequentialist thinking (utilitarianism) or duty-based reasoning (formalism) when confronting moral dilemmas.

By measuring these two fundamental ethical philosophies, the MEY provides researchers and practitioners with an empirical tool to study how these underlying ethical frameworks influence behavior, ethical climate perceptions, and decision outcomes within organizations, thereby contributing significantly to the fields of organizational behavior and business ethics research.

Construct

The MEY is constructed to measure two distinct, yet potentially overlapping, dimensions of ethical philosophy: Utilitarianism and Formalism (often associated with Deontology).

Utilitarianism: This dimension captures an outcome-oriented perspective. Individuals scoring high on this scale are considered outcome oriented and tend to assess actions in terms of their overall consequences. A utilitarian approach defines the ethical nature of actions based on the extent to which they create the greatest net social good or benefit for the majority. They are focused on results and efficiency.

Formalism: This dimension reflects a rule-based or duty-based perspective. Individuals characterized by a formal approach tend to assess ethical situations in light of their conformity with established rules, norms, laws, or duties. The ethical quality of an action is defined by its consistency with these pre-existing mandates, irrespective of the immediate outcomes or consequences.

Validity

Validity evidence for the MEY was examined through correlational studies involving related ethical and justice constructs (Schminke et al., 1997).

Specifically, the utilitarianism dimension, when based on trait ratings, correlated positively with the formalism dimension, suggesting a degree of overlap or co-occurrence between these perspectives in practice. Crucially, both the utilitarianism and formalism scores correlated negatively with perceived procedural justice and distributive justice. This finding suggests that individuals who strongly adhere to either formalized rules or outcomes-based ethical systems may perceive organizational justice structures less favorably or perhaps hold higher, more rigid expectations regarding fairness.

Reliability

The MEY demonstrates acceptable to strong levels of internal consistency and stability over time, supporting its reliable application in research settings.

Test-Retest Reliability: The stability of the measure was confirmed through test-retest reliability coefficients. For the responses to the seven vignette items, the average test-retest correlation was .70. The trait ratings section demonstrated slightly higher stability, yielding a test-retest reliability coefficient of .77 (Brady & Wheeler, 1996).

Internal Consistency: Internal consistency, measured using Coefficient alpha (Cronbach’s Alpha), indicates high reliability for the utilitarianism scale, with values ranging from .85 to .86 (based on both vignette and trait ratings). The formalism scale showed good internal consistency, with Coefficient alpha values ranging from .74 to .75 across studies (Brady & Wheeler, 1996; Schminke, Ambrose, & Noel, 1997).

Factor Analysis

While specific details regarding exploratory or confirmatory factor analysis results were not explicitly provided in the primary source documentation, the Measure of Ethical Viewpoints is explicitly designed to be bi-dimensional, measuring two independent factors: Utilitarianism and Formalism. This structure is supported by the dedicated item sets (vignette choices and trait lists) created specifically to load onto these respective ethical orientations.

Instrument

Test Type: Psychological Scale, Self-Report Ethical Inventory

Format: Mixed-format instrument combining 7 ethical vignettes (28 items) and 13 character trait ratings. Total 41 items.

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: Employees and general adult population

Age Group: Adult

Population Details: Primarily developed for studying ethical predispositions in organizational and business settings.

Test Methodology: Responses are obtained using a 7-point Likert-type scale, applied both to rating similarity to vignette statements and rating the importance of character traits.

Keywords

Deontology, Consequentialism, Organizational Behavior, Reliability, Validity, Justice Perception, Ethical Predispositions.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not provided in source material.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not provided in source material.

Correspondence Address: Not provided in source material.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Test Year: 1996

Permissions: The original items were published in the Journal of Business Ethics and were explicitly reprinted with permission from Kluwer Academic Publishers. Users intending to utilize the scale must seek appropriate permission from the copyright holders (Brady & Wheeler, 1996) and the publisher.

Fee: Information regarding current usage fees is not specified in the source material and must be confirmed with the authors or the publisher.

Reference’s

• Brady, F. N., & Wheeler, G. E. (1996). An empirical study of ethical predispositions. Journal of Business Ethics, 15, 927-940. Items were taken from Appendix A, pp. 938-939. © Kluwer Academic Publishers.
• Schminke, M., Ambrose, M. L., & Noel, T. W. (1997). The effect of ethical frameworks on perceptions of procedural and distributive justice. (Cited in validity and reliability assessments).

Items of the Measure of Ethical Viewpoints

Responses are obtained using a 7-point Likert-type scale where 1 = not at all like my way of thinking and 7 = very much like my way of thinking.

Part 1: Vignettes

Below are several vignettes representing common ethical dilemmas or issues. Following each vignette is a set of four statements, each of which represents a different way of thinking about the situation. Please rate each statement on a scale of 1 to 7 indicating the extent to which it would fit your way of thinking about the situation.

1. In front of the cafeteria on a major university campus is a busy two-lane road with a cross walk and a traffic There is no intersection, but the light can be controlled by a pedestrian button an each sidewalk. When there is little traffic, a person could either press the button and wait for the light or just walk across without the light …
   1. No harm is done just go ahead; it’s inconvenient to wait when there is little or no traffic
   2. In these matters one ought to be reasonable, not extreme; one ought to obey the spirit rather than the letter of the law
   3. It’s better to be safe than sorry
   4. One should obey all traffic laws

2. You are the instructor of an evening class which meets every Wednesday night. One part of the course is a library tour, in which you acquaint the students with various materials and sources for Unfortunately, you have just received a memo from the library director notifying you that the tour must be conducted on the following Thursday night. When you take the proposed change to the students, all are still very interested in going on the new date except for two students who are unable to attend. Both have previous commitments, but it would be valuable for all to attend. The tour has always been part of the course …
   1. The class would be better off if a majority went on the tour than if none did
   2. The tour is in the course syllabus; you should do all you can to fulfill listed course assignments
   3. You can probably find other ways to help the students learn about the library
   4. Not even one student should be treated unfairly

3. Many people think that abortions should be allowed; others think they should be largely be prohibited …
   1. Thousands of children are born into homes where they are unwanted and where they add to existing financial and emotional problems
   2. It’s the right of a woman to choose what she will do with her own body

1. Often, women who have abortions feel guilt and remorse; it’s better to bear the child and allow for its adoption
2. Aborting a fetus is equivalent to (or very close to) the taking of a human life
3. You are a sales representative for an electronics manufacturing You have scheduled a dinner with a very important client for tomorrow and would very much like to impress him. A good friend of yours is a member of an exclusive country club near town. You could really impress your client if you took him to dinner at the club. You consider asking your friend to loan you his membership card …
   1. The product you are selling is good, and everyone would win if the deal goes through
   2. Friends ought to help each other
   3. You might be discovered and lose the client
   4. People should never ask friends to be dishonest

5. One of your employees has accidentally come across a copy of your chief competitor’s product price changes for next The booklet is on your desk in a manila envelope …
   1. The price will give you a temporary advantage over your competitor
   2. You owe it to your company and employees to use all legally obtained information to its best advantage
   3. You may need your competitor’s cooperation on a couple of joint projects in the You should not jeopardize that relationship now
   4. Using the information would be basically unfair and dishonest

6. You are middle-aged and have been out of work for nearly two You need a job to support your family, and you have just been notified that you have a promising interview in three days with a company for which you would very much like to work. Unfortunately, you are well aware that youth is favored in today’s job market and you are afraid that your age might work against you. So, you are thinking of dying your hair to get rid of some of the gray and temporarily reporting your age as several years younger than your true age. After all, you are vigorous, healthy, and highly competent, and you have often been told you look young for your age …
   1. You need the job to support your family, and you would be good for the company
   2. Employers should be concerned only with how well an employee can do the job

1. Deception is risky; you can get into serious trouble if it is discovered
2. One should always be honest
3. You work for a state auditor’s office which has a policy against accepting gifts from anyone with whom the state may have Your birthday is in one week, and a very good friend of your father’s has just dropped by with a pair of fine leather gloves and a birthday card. This person also works for a construction company firm which has built city facilities in the past …
   1. Both the person and your father might be upset if you do not accept the gift
   2. One should respect another’s good intentions
   3. The general welfare of the public is best served if you and other state employees remain independent of outside influences
   4. Employees have an obligation to follow state policy

Part 2: Traits

Responses are obtained on a 7-point Likert-type scale where I= not important to me and 7 = very important to me.

Utilitarian traits:

2. Innovative
3. Resourceful
4. Effective
5. Influential
6. Results oriented
7. Productive
8. A winner

Formal traits:

1. Principled
2. Dependable
3. Trustworthy
4. Honest
5. Noted for integrity
6. Law-abiding