Ethics

Key Terms

Biases: prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.

Confirmation Bias: bias that results from the tendency to process and analyze information in such a way that it supports one’s preexisting ideas and convictions.

Status Quo Bias: A status quo bias or default bias is a cognitive bias which results from a preference for the maintenance of one's existing state of affairs.

Data Collection: the process of gathering data for use in business decision-making, strategic planning, research and other purposes.

Manipulative Marketing: When a company claims that a majority of people or experts are using their product, they're using social pressure–also known as peer pressure–as a manipulation. That's why advertisements often make claims like “four out of five experts agree” or that “millions of satisfied customers” believe their product is the best!

Consequentialism: an ethical theory that judges whether or not something is right by what its consequences are. For instance, most people would agree that lying is wrong. But if telling a lie would help save a person's life, consequentialism says it's the right thing to do.

Transparency: Building trust in marketing or other areas

Militainment: the increasing interconnections between the military and entertainment industries (e.g., games, films, or TV shows about wars; military presentations or flyovers at sports events; etc.); military branches may pay for these operations as public relations costs (as in the case of most flyovers) or they may be paid for use of their equipment or to serve as consultants (in the case of many shows, games, and films.)

Military-industrial complex: The overall collection of industries that exist to support militaries around the world

Propaganda: a form of communication meant to convince or persuade people to a particular course of action (often one aligned with government goals); a regular part of daily life, but can be viewed as manipulative or dishonest based on context.