{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,30]],"date-time":"2026-09-30T13:46:22Z","timestamp":1790775982087,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":85,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,16]],"date-time":"2023-02-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1676505600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Pers Soc Psychol Bull"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,6]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Individuals tend to hold a dim view of for-profit corporations, believing that profit-seeking comes at the expense of ethicality. In the present research, we show that this belief is not universal; rather, people associate ethicality with an organization\u2019s size. Across nine experiments ( N = 4,796), people stereotyped large companies as less ethical than small companies. This size-ethicality stereotype emerged spontaneously (Study 1), implicitly (Study 2), and across industries (Study 3). Moreover, we find this stereotype can be partly explained by perceptions of profit-seeking behavior (Supplementary Studies A and B), and that people construe profit-seeking and its relationship to ethicality differently when considering large and small companies (Study 4). People attribute greater profit- maximizing motives (relative to profit- satisficing motives) to large companies, and these attributions shape their subsequent judgments of ethicality (Study 5; Supplementary Studies C and D).<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/01461672231151791","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,16]],"date-time":"2023-02-16T04:57:52Z","timestamp":1676523472000},"page":"924-941","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":21,"title":["Big Is Bad: Stereotypes About Organizational Size, Profit-Seeking, and Corporate Ethicality"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"50","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3715-1294","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Freund","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Stanford University, CA, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7083-0999","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Francis","family":"Flynn","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Stanford University, CA, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kieran","family":"O\u2019Connor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Willamette University, OR, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1086\/651566"},{"key":"bibr2-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/0033-2909.126.4.556"},{"key":"bibr3-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5465\/amr.2016.0496"},{"key":"bibr4-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.68.2.181"},{"key":"bibr5-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jesp.2018.09.003"},{"key":"bibr6-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/pspa0000093"},{"key":"bibr7-01461672231151791","volume-title":"Ahead of the curve: Two years at Harvard Business School","author":"Broughton P.","year":"2008"},{"key":"bibr8-01461672231151791","first-page":"11","volume":"20","author":"Brown D. J.","year":"1982","journal-title":"Journal of Small Business Management"},{"key":"bibr9-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/cb.317"},{"key":"bibr10-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/3152092"},{"key":"bibr11-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3758\/s13428-019-01293-3"},{"key":"bibr12-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1017\/S1930297500007257"},{"key":"bibr13-01461672231151791","volume-title":"Illegal corporate behavior","author":"Clinard M. B.","year":"1979"},{"key":"bibr14-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1108\/07363769710185999"},{"key":"bibr15-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00434908"},{"key":"bibr16-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4159\/harvard.9780674491731"},{"key":"bibr17-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1287\/mnsc.42.5.693"},{"key":"bibr18-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbankfin.2011.01.009"},{"key":"bibr19-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/B978-0-08-088579-7.50012-0"},{"key":"bibr20-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1006\/jesp.1997.1331"},{"key":"bibr21-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1002\/smj.2280"},{"key":"bibr22-01461672231151791","author":"Edelman","year":"2022","journal-title":"2022 Edelman trust barometer"},{"key":"bibr23-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3758\/BF03193146"},{"key":"bibr24-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/h0032313"},{"key":"bibr25-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1287\/mnsc.2016.2517"},{"key":"bibr26-01461672231151791","volume-title":"True gen\u2019: Generation Z and its implications for companies","author":"Francis T.","year":"2018"},{"key":"bibr27-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/3088963"},{"key":"bibr28-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/0001-8791(78)90076-3"},{"key":"bibr29-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.74.6.1464"},{"key":"bibr30-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.85.2.197"},{"key":"bibr31-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/1926642"},{"key":"bibr32-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/2092844"},{"key":"bibr33-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5465\/amp.2012.0175"},{"key":"bibr34-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/0021-9010.63.4.451"},{"key":"bibr35-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1287\/orsc.1080.0368"},{"key":"bibr36-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/xge0000608"},{"key":"bibr37-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/13669877.2019.1569095"},{"key":"bibr38-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2139\/ssrn.3388846"},{"key":"bibr39-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/258867"},{"issue":"4","key":"bibr40-01461672231151791","first-page":"728","volume":"76","author":"Kahneman D.","year":"1986","journal-title":"American Economic Review"},{"key":"bibr41-01461672231151791","author":"Kharif O.","year":"2021","journal-title":"Al Jazeera"},{"key":"bibr42-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/2391717"},{"key":"bibr43-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/analys\/63.3.190"},{"key":"bibr44-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/a0037215"},{"key":"bibr45-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0146167216657360"},{"key":"bibr46-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2288-13-65"},{"key":"bibr47-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/jcr\/ucx071"},{"key":"bibr48-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.obhdp.2011.11.006"},{"key":"bibr49-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1540-627X.2006.00162.x"},{"key":"bibr50-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10551-015-2985-6"},{"key":"bibr51-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5465\/amj.2007.28179462"},{"key":"bibr52-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/a0038344"},{"key":"bibr53-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1287\/orsc.8.6.624"},{"key":"bibr54-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9781003163732-3"},{"key":"bibr55-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/4609267"},{"key":"bibr56-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5465\/amj.2010.52814578"},{"key":"bibr57-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/256519"},{"key":"bibr58-01461672231151791","author":"Moss E.","year":"2019","journal-title":"Harvard Business Review"},{"key":"bibr59-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10551-005-2929-7"},{"key":"bibr60-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.leaqua.2013.11.013"},{"key":"bibr61-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/256404"},{"key":"bibr62-01461672231151791","volume-title":"The rise of the anti-corporate movement: Corporations and the people who hate them","author":"Osborne E.","year":"2009"},{"key":"bibr63-01461672231151791","author":"Ovide S.","year":"2020","journal-title":"The New York Times"},{"key":"bibr64-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jesp.2017.01.006"},{"key":"bibr65-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/a0019411"},{"key":"bibr66-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/1089-2680.7.4.331"},{"key":"bibr67-01461672231151791","unstructured":"Rivera K., Karlsson P. O. (2017, June 6). CEOs are getting fired for ethical lapses more than they used to. Harvard Business Review. https:\/\/hbr.org\/2017\/06\/ceos-are-getting-fired-for-ethical-lapses-more-than-they-used-to"},{"key":"bibr68-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.83.5.1178"},{"key":"bibr69-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10551-018-3882-6"},{"key":"bibr70-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.2307\/1884852"},{"key":"bibr71-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/h0042769"},{"key":"bibr72-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.89.6.845"},{"key":"bibr73-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1023\/A:1005784421547"},{"key":"bibr74-01461672231151791","volume-title":"Human groups and social categories: Studies in social psychology","author":"Tajfel H.","year":"1981"},{"key":"bibr75-01461672231151791","author":"Thiessen M. A.","year":"2021","journal-title":"The Washington Post"},{"key":"bibr76-01461672231151791","author":"Tice C.","year":"2012","journal-title":"Forbes"},{"key":"bibr77-01461672231151791","volume-title":"Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right","author":"Trevi\u00f1o L. K.","year":"2011"},{"key":"bibr78-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jenvp.2012.12.006"},{"key":"bibr79-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1057\/9780230227804"},{"key":"bibr80-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-orgpsych-032414-111322"},{"key":"bibr81-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.5465\/19416520.2011.588822"},{"key":"bibr82-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0956797611423546"},{"key":"bibr83-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/01461672992512005"},{"key":"bibr84-01461672231151791","author":"Xu Y.","year":"2017","journal-title":"NPR"},{"key":"bibr85-01461672231151791","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/jcr\/ucy042"}],"container-title":["Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/01461672231151791","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/01461672231151791","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/01461672231151791","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]],"date-time":"2026-05-01T15:15:22Z","timestamp":1777648522000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/01461672231151791"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,16]]},"references-count":85,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2024,6]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/01461672231151791"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/01461672231151791","relation":{},"ISSN":["0146-1672","1552-7433"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0146-1672","type":"print"},{"value":"1552-7433","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,2,16]]}}}