Willful Ignorance and Moral Behavior

• 成果类型: Article; Early Access
• 署名作者: Epperson, Raphael; Gersterb, Andreas
• 署名单位: heSam Universite; ESCP Business School; Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz; Leibniz Association; RWI - Leibniz Institut fur Wirtschaftsforschung
• 刊物名称: MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0025-1909
• DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.2025.01176
• 发表日期: 2026
• 关键词: willful ignorance; Information avoidance; Morality; Information intervention; experiment; meat consumption

摘要

Consumers' willful ignorance about the consequences of their actions may impede moral behavior. We test this concern in a real-world context based on a laboratory experiment and field data. We find that willful ignorance about farming practices increases consumption of meat from intensive farming, both in the laboratory and at university canteens. Individuals who prefer to avoid costless evidence are particularly responsive to it, yet their behavioral response vanishes within two weeks. Both findings demonstrate how difficult it is for organizations and governments to address willful ignorance through information interventions.