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The Bright and Dark Sides of Religiosity Among University Students: Do Gender, College Major, and Income Matter?

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  • Yuh-Jia Chen
  • Thomas Tang

Abstract

We develop a theoretical model involving religiosity [intrinsic (I), extrinsic-social (E s ), and extrinsic-personal (E p ), Time 1], Machiavellianism (Time 2), and propensity to engage in unethical behavior (Time 2) to investigate direct and indirect paths. We collected two-wave panel data from 359 students who had some work experiences. For the whole sample, intrinsic religiosity (I) indirectly curbed unethical intentions through the absence of Machiavellianism, the bright side of religiosity. Both extrinsic-social (E s ) and extrinsic-personal (E p ) directly, while extrinsic-social (E s ) indirectly, exacerbated unethical intentions, the dark side of religiosity. Multiple-group analyses across gender, college major, and income showed that the bright side existed directly for low-income students, but indirectly for males and females, business majors, and low-income students. Our novel finding showed that E p undermined unethical intentions indirectly for females. For the dark side, E s incited unethical intentions directly for males, business students, and low-income individuals, but indirectly for females, psychology majors, and low-income people. The Machiavellianism–unethical intentions relationship was the strongest for high-income participants. Religiosity had the highest number of significant paths for low-income individuals and the strongest dark side for males and high-income students, but the highest bright outcome for females. Our novel, original findings foster theory development and testing, add new vocabulary to the conversation of religiosity and unethical intentions, and improve practice. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2013

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  • Yuh-Jia Chen & Thomas Tang, 2013. "The Bright and Dark Sides of Religiosity Among University Students: Do Gender, College Major, and Income Matter?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 115(3), pages 531-553, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:115:y:2013:i:3:p:531-553
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-012-1407-2
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    19. Tang, Thomas Li-Ping & Sutarso, Toto & Akande, Adebowale & Allen, Michael W. & Alzubaidi, Abdulgawi Salim & Ansari, Mahfooz A. & Arias-Galicia, Fernando & Borg, Mark G. & Canova, Luigina & Charles-Pau, 2006. "The Love of Money and Pay Level Satisfaction: Measurement and Functional Equivalence in 29 Geopolitical Entities around the World," Management and Organization Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(3), pages 423-452, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Elodie Gentina & Thomas Li-Ping Tang & Qinxuan Gu, 2017. "Does Bad Company Corrupt Good Morals? Social Bonding and Academic Cheating among French and Chinese Teens," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 146(3), pages 639-667, December.
    2. Tariq, Samia & Ansari, Nighat G. & Alvi, Tariq Hameed, 2019. "The impact of intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity on ethical decision-making in management in a non-Western and highly religious country," MPRA Paper 96971, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Elodie Gentina & Carole Daniel & Thomas Li-Ping Tang, 2021. "Mindfulness Reduces Avaricious Monetary Attitudes and Enhances Ethical Consumer Beliefs: Mindfulness Training, Timing, and Practicing Matter," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 173(2), pages 301-323, October.
    4. William D. Brink & Tim V. Eaton & Jonathan H. Grenier & Andrew Reffett, 2019. "Deterring Unethical Behavior in Online Labor Markets," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(1), pages 71-88, April.
    5. Soňa Lemrová & Eva Reiterová & Renáta Fatěnová & Karel Lemr & Thomas Tang, 2014. "Money is Power: Monetary Intelligence—Love of Money and Temptation of Materialism Among Czech University Students," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 125(2), pages 329-348, December.
    6. Anis Triki & Gail Lynn Cook & Darlene Bay, 2017. "Machiavellianism, Moral Orientation, Social Desirability Response Bias, and Anti-intellectualism: A Profile of Canadian Accountants," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 144(3), pages 623-635, September.
    7. Elodie Gentina & L. J. Shrum & Tina M. Lowrey & Scott J. Vitell & Gregory M. Rose, 2018. "An Integrative Model of the Influence of Parental and Peer Support on Consumer Ethical Beliefs: The Mediating Role of Self-Esteem, Power, and Materialism," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 150(4), pages 1173-1186, July.
    8. Chan, Christopher & Ananthram, Subramaniam & Thaker, Keyur & Liu, Yi, 2022. "Do religiosity and ethical principles influence ethical decision-making in a multi-faith context? Evidence from India," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 772-785.
    9. Geng Niu & Yang Zhou & Weijie Lu & Hongwu Gan, 2022. "Religiosity and corruption in bank lending," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(9-10), pages 1957-1983, October.
    10. Pi-Yueh Cheng, 2015. "University Lecturers’ Intention to Teach an Ethics Course: A Test of Competing Models," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 126(2), pages 247-258, January.
    11. Jingqiu Chen & Thomas Tang & Ningyu Tang, 2014. "Temptation, Monetary Intelligence (Love of Money), and Environmental Context on Unethical Intentions and Cheating," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 123(2), pages 197-219, August.
    12. Shahid, Ahmad Usman & Patel, Chris & Pan, Peipei, 2022. "Corporate social responsibility, intrinsic religiosity, and investment decisions," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(C).
    13. Thomas Li-Ping Tang, 2016. "Theory of Monetary Intelligence: Money Attitudes—Religious Values, Making Money, Making Ethical Decisions, and Making the Grade," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 133(3), pages 583-603, February.
    14. Yalin Mo & Junyu Zhao & Thomas Li-Ping Tang, 2023. "Religious Beliefs Inspire Sustainable HOPE (Help Ourselves Protect the Environment): Culture, Religion, Dogma, and Liturgy—The Matthew Effect in Religious Social Responsibility," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 184(3), pages 665-685, May.
    15. Bakir, Aysen & Gentina, Elodie & de Araújo Gil, Luciana, 2020. "What shapes adolescents’ attitudes toward luxury brands? The role of self-worth, self-construal, gender and national culture," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    16. Elodie Gentina & Thomas Li-Ping Tang & Qinxuan Gu, 2018. "Do Parents and Peers Influence Adolescents’ Monetary Intelligence and Consumer Ethics? French and Chinese Adolescents and Behavioral Economics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 151(1), pages 115-140, August.
    17. Lu, Liping & Wu, Yiping, 2020. "Does religion enhance firm performance? Evidence from private firms in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    18. Rafi M. M. I. Chowdhury, 2018. "Religiosity and Voluntary Simplicity: The Mediating Role of Spiritual Well-Being," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 152(1), pages 149-174, September.

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