Professionalism and moral behavior: does a professional self-conception make one more unethical?

This dissertation explores the role of professional self-conceptions on ethical behavior. Relying on recent literature on licensing, contrary to conventional wisdom, I suggest that professional self-conceptions lead individuals to engage in unethical behaviors. The results of Study 1 demonstrated that professional self-conceptions license individuals to act unethically. Study 2 tested for differential effect of accessibility of professional self-conceptions versus concept of professionalism and showed that seeing oneself as a professional, and not the accessibility of the concept of professionalism per se, is needed to license unethical acts. Study 3, a field study, showed that membership in occupations traditionally associated with professions compared to other occupations led to higher unethical behaviors and professional selfconceptions mediated the effect of occupational membership on unethical behaviors. Together, the results of three studies demonstrate that professional self-conceptions, either measured or manipulated, can license individuals to act unethically. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.