Ralph Christian O.

Dublin BSHM 1C

Factors Influencing Ethical Communication

Social Norms

Local customs can define the ethical behavior of those living within that culture. What is considered
normal in one culture can be completely unnatural in another; what is ethical in one culture can be
unethical in another. Professor Prabhu Guptara, speaking to the Royal Society for the Encouragement of
the Arts Commerce and Manufactures in Britain, says that different cultures have ethical differences. A
2008 Boston Youth Survey study, for example, discovered that immigrant children are non-violent, but
quickly adopt the social norms of aggression in the United States.

Religious Beliefs

Many believe in life after death. Most religions have a common theme of judgment in the afterlife. In the
afterlife, many believe good deeds during natural life are rewarded and bad deeds can be punished. In
defining good deeds, religions have developed moral codes to live by, such as the Ten Commandments,
which forbid theft, killing and other unethical behaviors. How devoutly a person adheres to these moral
codes is a factor defining overall ethical behavior.

Upbringing

An adult's upbringing also determines ethical behavior. In general, adults who were brought up in loving,
non-abusive households display socially appropriate ethical behavior. Conversely, adults who were
brought up in abusive, dysfunctional families tend to display unethical behavior. Prevent Child Abuse
America, in an extensive 2008 study, found that 42 percent of abused children were arrested for crimes
when they became adults.

Laws

Laws, and a person abiding by them, influence ethical behavior. Fear of prosecution and punishment is a
great deterrent, and as such, many do not break the law. In the United States, ethical behavior is defined
by law, such as not stealing or not causing property damage. The level of punishment is roughly tied to
the level of crime. A person knows that, for example, if he is caught shoplifting, he could go to jail. This
deters him from shoplifting.