Decisionmaking II: Normative Decisionmaking

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Decisionmaking IINormative Decisionmaking

• Soc 641

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Obligatory Action

• Basics
• What kind of person am I? (Identity)
• What kind of situation is this? (Context)
• What does a person like me do in a situation like
  this? (Role)
• Do it. (Performance)
• Non-rational ? Stupid/Crazy/Primitive/Bad
• Terminological note
• Consequential Instrumental Rational
• Obligatory Either
• Normative Moral
• Cognitive Constitutive Definitional

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Moral/Normative Decisionmaking

• Basics
• Moral values
• People rarely act in ways that they believe to be
  morally wrong at the time.
• Behavioral consistency
• Social norms
• Socialization ? Internalization

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Implications for Sociology of Law

• Direct effects of morality on obedience
• Moral beliefs ? Compliance
• Indirect effects of morality on obedience
• Moral beliefs ? Legitimacy of law ? Compliance
• Mediating effects of morality on obedience
• Legitimacy of law ? Moral beliefs ? Compliance

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Direct Effects of Morality

• Obey because law is morally right
• Moral beliefs ? Compliance
• Evidence
• Explains 20 of variance in compliance
• E,g., Schwartz Orleans (1967)
• Moral suasion (jaw-boning)

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Schwartz, Richard and Sonja Orleans (1967),"On
Legal Sanctions,University of Chicago Law
Review, 34274-300.
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Indirect Effects of Morality

• Obey law because obedience is morally right
• Moral beliefs ? Legitimacy of law ? Compliance
• Evidence
• Surveys 70-90 obey regardless of personal
  views
• Experiments People obey immoral commands
• Overall Explains 15-20 of variance in
  compliance

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Mediating Effects of Morality

• Obey law because law shapes what is seen as
  morally right
• Legitimacy of law ? Moral beliefs ? Compliance
• Declaratory impact
• Legal authority is an instrument of moral
  socialization
• Evidence
• Berkowitz Walker (1967)
• Schwartz Orleans (1967)

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Berkowitz, Leonard and Nigel Walker (1967), "Laws
and Moral Judgements," Sociometry 30410
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Schwartz, Richard and Sonja Orleans (1967),"On
Legal Sanctions,University of Chicago Law
Review, 34274-300.