"Engaged onlooking" comes from engaged followership, but goes beyond an org's members to consider the role of outside observers. We argue that corruption may be excused/embraced not due to a loss in identity or morality, but through identification which aligns harmful behaviours with a greater good.
In Study 1, pts read about either the VW or WorldCom scandals. Identification with these companies, and identification with the monitoring agencies who uncovered the scandals, had opposing relationships with condoning the corruption.
In Study 2, we manipulated identification with VW, such that the experimental manipulation increased company identification, which in turn predicted condoning the corporate corruption.
In Study 3, we used a fictituous company: STITCHES. Participants were selected due to their strong concern for the environment. Identification was manipulated by presenting STITCHES either as a company with strong environmental credentials (high ID), or this info wasn't given (neutral ID).
Pts were next told that the company provided expensive hospitality to councillors considering their planning application in order to achieve their goals.
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