PERSONAL

ETHICS

ETHC3311
Ethics Fundamentals 1-1
 WHAT IS
• Derived from ETHICS?
Greek word “ethos”, which means
“way of living”
• Branch of philosophy concerned with human
conduct, more specifically the behaviour of
individuals in society
• Examines rational justification for our moral
judgments
• Studies what is morally right or wrong, just or
unjust
• Converts values, morals, duties and beliefs into
actions
Reference: https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/ethics
1-2
 WHAT IS
ETHICS?
• Video: Ethics Defined

Reference: https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/ethics
1-3
 PERSONAL
• Ethical principlesETHICS
that a person uses when making
decisions and behaving in both personal and
professional settings
• Influence various aspects of a person’s life and help
individuals develop personal and professional values
• Help individuals determine right and wrong
• Influence how someone behaves in challenging
situations
• Each person’s code of ethics varies and is unique to
them
Reference: https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/guide/personal-ethics/
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 WHY ARE
PERSONAL
ETHICS
Activity: Brainstorming
•Why are personal ethics
important? IMPORTANT?
•How do you develop
personal ethics?
•How are they different
from professional ethics?
•How are they the same
as professional ethics?

1-5
 WHY ARE
PERSONAL
• ETHICS
Gives individuals a solid basis of which to
determine the most appropriate action in any
IMPORTANT?
given situation
• Improves the decision-making process
• Sets a standard of behaviour
• For leaders:
- Allows more effective leadership of teams
- Instills a sense of trust and support

Reference: https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/guide/personal-ethics/
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 WHY ARE
PERSONAL
Activity: Examples ETHICS
of Personal Ethics
•In pairs, discuss a situation in which you had
IMPORTANT?
difficulty telling
dilemma or issue)
right from wrong (i.e. an ethical

•Why were you conflicted?

•Who was involved?
•What did you end up doing?
•Were you right? Or were you wrong?
•What, if anything, would you do differently now?

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 WHAT ARE MORALS?
• Ideal principles that guide individual conduct
within society; enable people to live
cooperatively in groups
• May change over time but remain the
standards of behavior that we use to judge
right and wrong
• Refers to what societies sanction as right and
acceptable, good/bad or right/wrong

Reference: https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/morals 1-8

 WHAT ARE MORALS?
Activity: What are
your morals?
•List some of your
morals (the things
which you believe are
right and wrong):
- It is moral to…
- It is not moral
to…

Reference:
https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/morals 1-9
 WHAT ARE
MORALS?
• Video: Morals Defined

© 2009 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 1-10

 WHAT ARE VALUES?
• Foundation of individual’s ability to judge
between right and wrong
• Deep-rooted and uncompromising system of
beliefs that guide a person’s decisions
• Defines the person and influences individual
behaviour

Reference:
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/difference-between-ethics-morals-and-values.html
1-11
 WHAT ARE VALUES?
Activity: What are your personal values?
•Reflect:
1. Who do you admire?
2. What inspires you to take action?
3. When do you feel most like yourself?
•Take the Values Test

Reference:
https://soulsalt.com/list-of-values-and-beliefs/
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 WHAT ARE VALUES?
• Video: Values Defined

Reference:
https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/glossary/values 1-13
 WHAT ARE BELIEFS?
• Convictions that we generally accept to be true,
especially without actual evidence or proof
• Assumptions we have about the world
• Values, attitudes, and behavior are greatly
influenced by our beliefs
• Grow from different sources:
- From what we see, hear, read and experience
- From what is taught
• Most are related to culture and religion
Reference:
https://pediaa.com/difference-between-values-and-beliefs/#:~:text=Values%20and%20Beliefs-,Definition,is%20true%2C
%20especially%20without%20proof.
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 ASSUMPTIONS
• Deepest level of what motivates our actions
• Unconscious, self-evident truths
• Underlying basis of our values, morals and duty
• Can be outdated or irrelevant to current
situations

1-15
 ASSUMPTIONS
Activity: Uncovering Your Assumptions
• Complete the following sentences:
- Family is…
- Men are…
- Women are…
- Life is…
- People are…
- School is…
- Government is…

1-16
 EXTERNAL FORCES
SHAPING OUR
ETHICS
Activity: Brainstorming
• What external forces have helped shape your
ethics?
• Why are you the way you are?
• Why do you believe what you believe?
• What makes you, YOU!?

1-17
 FAMILY
• What morals and values did you learn from your
family?
• How were they communicated to you?
• What was modelled to you growing up?
• Who did you look up to as a child?
• Do you agree or disagree with these sayings:
- “The apple does not fall far from the tree”
- “Like Father, like Daughter”

Reference:
https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/management/the-ethical-view-of-an-individual-is-formed-
by-the-contribution-mostly-of-the-following-factors/3467 1-18
 FAMILY
Activity: Family Influence on Morals & Values
•What were you told?
•What did you observe?
•What did you experience?

1-19
 RELIGION
• Strong belief system that has existed for
thousands of years
• A type of code of conduct, a rule book that allows
believers to function in a non-primitive or
cultured manner
• Earliest forms of religion were established to
facilitate social bonding and community
• What religious beliefs were you taught as a child?
• How have your beliefs changed in adulthood?
Reference:
https://www.monkprayogshala.in/blog/2016/5/15/how-religion-influences-behaviour-1
1-20
 EDUCATION
• Children are influenced by the notions of good /
bad as a result of relationship with classmates,
teachers and senior students
• What you learn at school influences your beliefs
and actions

Reference:
https://www.preservearticles.com/education/six-factors-that-affects-moral-development-of-a-child/18098
1-21
 EDUCATION
Activity: What you learned at school
•What values and morals did you learn in
elementary school?
•Which ones did you learn in junior and senior high
school?
•Which ones are you learning at college?
•How have these affected you?

Reference:
https://www.preservearticles.com/education/six-factors-that-affects-moral-development-of-a-child/18098
1-22
 FRIENDS AND
•
COLLEAGUES
How do your friends or colleagues influence you?
• How do your friends change your habits – for better
or for worse?
• Were (are) their influences in conflict with your
family’s values and morals?
• Do you believe that success in life often comes
down to the people we choose to spend time with?
- Who are the people you spend most time with?
- Do they elevate you or bring you down?
- Do they motivate or drain you?
Reference:
https://www.simonalexanderong.com/2013/10/how-your-circle-of-friends-influence-who-you-become/ 1-23
 FRIENDS AND
COLLEAGUES
Activity: Debate
•Do you agree or disagree with the following
statement:
- “You are the average of the five people you
spend the most time with.”

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 SOCIAL INFLUENCE
• How individuals change their ideas and actions to
meet the demands of a social group, perceived
authority, social role or a minority within a group
wielding influence over the majority
• Why do we sometimes conform to the norms of a
group?
• Cooperation can lead to a conformity of views,
resulting in a phenomenon known as groupthink

Reference:
https://www.psychologistworld.com/influence/social-influence 1-25
 SOCIAL INFLUENCE
Activity: Exploring groupthink
•Have you ever altered your behavior to match
that of other students in a class? Of a friend? Of a
colleague?
•Have you ever found yourself falling into the trap
of groupthink?
•What is a famous historical example of
groupthink?

Reference:
https://www.psychologistworld.com/influence/social-influence 1-26
 SOCIAL INFLUENCE
• Sources of social influence:
- Newspapers, magazines, television, movies,
radio, blogs, online, social media, advertising,
laws and policies
• How is social media influencing you?
- Your values?
- Your relationships?
- The way you think about yourself?
Reference:
https://www.apa.org/members/content/social-media-research
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 SOCIAL INFLUENCE
Activity: Who influences our society?
1.In groups of 3-4, discuss and choose one person that
is influential in Canada
2.What are the values that make this person
influential or revered? Why do you think this?
3.As a group, choose someone that is considered a
“bad person” in Canada. What are the values that
make this person bad? Why do you think this?
4.Be prepared to present to class

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 LIFE EXPERIENCES
• “Life is nothing but a collection of experiences,
good and bad”
• An experience and its consequences help shape
individual ethical or unethical behaviour
• Situational factors:
- A person’s behaviour may change from ethical to
unethical and from unethical to ethical if the situation
forces them to do so
- For example, an otherwise honest person may
steal in a situation of financial crisis
Reference:
https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/management/the-ethical-view-of-an-
individual-is-formed-by-the-contribution-mostly-of-the-following-factors/3467
1-29
 LOCUS OF CONTROL

© 2009 Pearson Education Canada Inc. 1-30

 LOCUS OF CONTROL
• Refers to the extent to which people feel that
they have control over the events that influence
their lives
• Why do good people do bad things, or fail to act
to prevent them?

External <---------------> Internal

Reference:
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-locus-of-control-2795434 1-31
 LOCUS OF CONTROL
Activity: What is your locus of control?
OUTLOOK 1
•I often feel that I have little control
over my life and what happens to
me
•People rarely get what they
deserve
•It isn't worth setting goals or
making plans because too many
things can happen that are outside
of my control
•Life is a game of chance
•Individuals have little influence over
the events of the world
Reference:
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-locus-of-control-2795434
OUTLOOK 2
•If you work hard and commit yourself
to a goal, you can achieve anything
•There is no such thing as fate or
destiny
•If you study hard and are well-
prepared, you can do well on exams
• Luck has little to do with success; it's
mostly a matter of dedication and
effort
•In the long run, people tend to get
what they deserve in life
 LOCUS OF CONTROL
INTERNAL EXTERNAL
• More likely to take responsibility for their • Blame outside forces for their
actions
circumstances
• Tend to be less influenced by the opinions
of other people • Often credit luck or chance for any
• Often do better at tasks when allowed to successes
work at own pace • Don't believe that they can change their
• Tend to work hard to achieve the things situation through their own efforts
they want
• Frequently feel hopeless or powerless in
• Feel confident in the face of challenges
the face of difficult situations
• Tend to be physically healthier
• Are more prone to experiencing learned
• Report being happier and more
independent happiness

• Often achieve greater success in the

workplace
Reference:
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-locus-of-control-2795434
 LOCUS OF CONTROL
Activity: Discussion
•What are some situations from your childhood that you
felt were outside of your control?
•Why did you think they were outside of your control?
•How did you behave?
•What would have given you more control over the
situation?
•Would you have behaved differently if you thought your
actions would make a real difference?

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 MORAL AWARENESS
• Ability to detect and appreciate the ethical
aspects of a decision that one must make
• Every person has responsibility to keep ethics in
mind when evaluating decisions that must be
made

Reference:
https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/video/best-self-part-1-moral-awareness
 MORAL AWARENESS
Activity: Case Study
•Read the case “Teaching Blackface: A Lesson on
Stereotypes” and respond to the discussion questions

Reference:
https://ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu/case-study/teaching-blackface-lesson-stereotypes
 PUTTING IT ALL
TOGETHER
Activity: Movie discussion
•View “The Insider” trailer
•Would you work for a tobacco company? Why or why
not?
•Which values and beliefs lead you to this conclusion?
•What if the tobacco company paid 10% more than any
other job you could get?
•What other ethical topics does this movie bring up?

Reference:
https://hbr.org/2013/11/would-you-work-for-a-tobacco-company
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