The study explored using HeartMath heart rate variability biofeedback training to increase empathy and ethical decision-making in business students. Students in an experimental group received HeartMath training while a control group did not. Both groups were taught the Ross-Garrett model of ethical decision-making and took pre- and post-tests of empathy and ethical judgments. Scores increased for both groups from pre- to post-test in the predicted directions, with slightly greater increases in the experimental group, suggesting the HeartMath training may have had a positive impact though the small sample size limited statistical power.

1. The Psychophysiology of Ethics and the Training
of Future Ethical Business Leaders: A Pilot Study
Dr. James F. Sennett
Professor of Business Ethics
Director of Business Programs
Brenau University South Atlanta Campus
Fairburn, GA
@ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016

2. • Exploring an innovative approach to increasing moral decision making
and empathy among future business leaders
• Utilizing the HeartMath system for emotional self-regulation training
incorporating heart rate variability (HRV) through biofeedback
• Business majors, business ethics students; experimental group and
control group (two different class sections)
• Hypothesis: Students trained in the HeartMath HRV system
(experimental group) will demonstrate increased empathy and a
corresponding increase in ethical decision making over control group.
• Small subject groups resulting in low power yields for formal statistical
testing methods (Pilot Study, remember?)
• @ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016
The Psychophysiology of Ethics and the Training of
Future Ethical Business Leaders: A Pilot Study

3. RESEARCH PARTNERS AND FUNDING
• Dr. Maria Zayas (Lead Researcher)
Prof. Blaine Schultz
• Montana Keig, Ashley Piegore
• All from Brenau Dept. of Psychology
• Brenau University President’s Opportunity Grant (BUPOG)
• Brenau Faculty Development Fund Grant
@ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016
Dr. Zayas Prof. Schultz

4. • I am not an experimental
scientist.
• I am not a scientist at all.
• I’m not even a business
professor or business
person.
• Ph.D. in Philosophy
• M.B.A. in Management
• Specialist in Business Ethics @ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016
THE UGLY FACTS (DISCLAIMER)
Me and m’ buds jus’ chillin’

5. So What Am I Doing Here?
• I am
• Lead prof of business ethics.
• Author of the moral decision
making model presented.
• Author of the pre- and post-test
moral judgment instruments.
• Manager of the administration of all
measurement instruments.
• Facilitator of humor and runaway
tangential discussions at all team
meetings.
Describe the moral
decision making model.
Describe the moral
judgment instruments.
@ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016
Brief look at HRV utili-
zation and empathy
testing near the end

6. The Ross-Garrett Model
for Moral Decision Making
• Prima Facie Duties
• “All things being equal”
• Open-ended list
• Conflicting PF duties
• No hierarchy
• Deliberation
• Priority rules
• Utility considerations
• The five W’s (relevant facts)
• Actual Duties
• ROSS
• Fidelity
• Reparation
• Gratitude
• Justice
• Beneficence
• Non-Maleficence
• Harm Prevention
• Self-Improvement
W. D. Ross
1877-1971
Jan Garrett
b. 1951
• GARRETT
• Respect for Rights
• Special Care
• Non-Parasitism
• SENNETT
• Universalizability
• Golden Rule
@ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016
THE BAKER’S DOZEN

7. PRIMA FACIE DUTIES
ACTUAL DUTIES
DELIBERATION
Business Specific
PF Duties; e.g.,
• Profitability
• Due Care
• Persuasion
without
Manipulation
Business Specific
Deliberation Conditions;
e.g.,
• Priority of employee
vulnerability
• Stakeholder Interest
Identification
• Business Interests
and
Employee Interests@ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016

8. Utilizing Ross-Garrett in the Study
CONTROL GROUP
• Instruction in the
Ross-Garrett Model
• Pre-test on R-G Model
• Post-test on R-G Model
(Identical to pre-test)
EXPERIMENTAL GROUP
• Instruction in the
Ross-Garrett Model
• Instruction in HeartMath
HRV biofeedback system
• Pre-test on R-G Model
• Post-test on R-G Model
@ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016

9. Pre/Post-Test Construction
Each question offers
the students six
choices:
 Always
 Almost always
 Most of the time
 Sometimes
 Almost never
 Never
Question Examples
• Should businesses put profits ahead of the
interests of their employees?
• Should businesses be more concerned for the
interests of their stockholders than for the
interests of their employees?
• Are businesses responsible for any harm or
damage their products cause after they have
been purchased?
@ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016
• Is it wrong for employers to require
employees to reveal private information
about their lives?
• Is it permissible to violate a person’s right
to fair and equal treatment in decisions
to hire, fire, promote, or give a raise?

10. Expectations and Findings
• R-G Assumption: Virtually all moral principles applicable to business can be
overridden by conflicting moral principles in certain circumstances.
• Therefore, moral decision making in business requires deliberation of relevant
facts, consideration of viable alternatives, and considered judgment re.:
proper choice in the present situation.
• Hence, progress in moral decision making skill will be indicated by the
tendency of students to move toward the center of the alternatives – fewer
answers of “Always,” “Almost always,” “Almost never,” and “Never” and
more answers of “Most of the time” and “Sometimes.”
• FINDINGS: Scores increased in the predicted directions in a way deemed to be
“approaching (statistical) significance.” (But remember – pilot study! )
@ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016

11. HeartMath HRV Feedback Overview
• Emotional Self-Regulation Training
• Four week intervention
• Training and practice on emWave
2® handheld
• Independent sample T-tests were
run for both groups to examine
the change scores from pre-
intervention measurement to
post-intervention measurement
for the IRI (empathy) measure and
the Ross Garrett ethical decision
making questionnaire.
• Findings
• Increase in desired results for both
empathy and moral decision making
measurements for both control and
experimental groups.
• Increases for both measurements
were noticeably greater in experi-
mental group over control group.
• Small group caveat renewed
You know ….
@ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016

12. @ACBSPAccredited #ACBSP2016
The Psychophysiology of Ethics and the Training
of Future Ethical Business Leaders: A Pilot Study
Dr. James F. Sennett
Professor of Business Ethics
Director of Business Programs
Brenau University South Atlanta Campus
Fairburn, GA
jsennett@brenau.edu