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According to an estimate made by the Global Language Monitor, there were about 1,025,110 words defined in the English language as of January 2014. Although each word is given a definition, some words are certainty more difficult to define than others. In order to investigate the relationship between individuals’ perceptions of behaving unethically and lying, we must define what these concepts mean.
Common universal definitions of ethical behavior:
- Merriam-Webster: conforming to accepted standards of conduct
- Dictionary.com:moral principles or values given to govern a particular culture or group
- Urban dictionary: Morality with loopholes
Common universal definitions of lying
- Merriam-Webster: marked by or containing falsehood
- Dictionary.com:false statement made with deliberate intent to deceive; an intentional untruth; a falsehood
- Urban dictionary: ability to use the least amount of information (from the given truth), bend it to your will, add some bullshit to it, and add a dash of charm/reality-distortion field, while slowly changing the topic
In order to get a better idea of what “ethical behavior” and “lying” mean, I collected data from 150 participants through an online survey as well as informal personal interviews. These answers were placed into a word cloud that combined like terms. The larger the term, the more frequently it was used in the definition.
Analysis-Ethical Behavior
Based on the results, participants used both similar and differing phrases as compared to common sources in order to define ethical behavior. For example, “Right” was overwhelming the most popular word used by research participants, however it is not seen in any of the common definitions. On the other hand, words such as “Moral” and “Values” were frequently used in both circumstances.
By combining the most frequently used terms I would define ethical behavior as: Acts displayed by oneself (own) that treats others in a moral or right manner
Analysis-Lying
Based on the results, participants defined lying using both similar and different terms as well. Although both perspectives included ideas of “statements”, “information”, and “truth”, research participants did not seem to place emphasis on the concept of “falsehood“.
By combining the most frequently used terms I would define lying as: Purposely saying things that are not true
Reflect…
Which definitions do you agree with most? Do you believe that the common definitions provided are essentially the same as those provided by research participants? How may the general public view “ethical behavior” and “lying” differently than what is “universally” defined?