Foreign experiences may blur our moral vision
The above-mentioned benefits of extensive exposure to various cultures may, however, be accompanied by certain drawbacks. A recent research paper published by scholars from the INSEAD business school examined precisely these drawbacks.
The results suggested that when people live under several moral frameworks, the ties to some of their most basic values may become weakened. This is the darker side of cognitive flexibility.
Links between foreign experiences and immorality
The article appeared in Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.
In one study, French students were surveyed before, during and after a study programme abroad. During each of the three phases, they had the opportunity to win a cell phone if they solved a complete set of anagrams; however, one of the anagrams was unsolvable. Anyone who claimed they had solved it must have been cheating since no solution existed. After 12 months abroad, the percentage of cheaters among students rose from 30 to 47%.
Another study with MBA students found that the number of countries participants had lived in is a predictor of their willingness to use immoral negotiation tactics. On the other hand, the amount of time spent abroad was no such predictor.
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