Revisiting the moral core of integrity: A conceptual framework linking moral reasoning and honesty in contemporary ethical decision-making

Abstract

Despite extensive scholarship on ethical behaviour, the relationship between moral reasoning and honesty remains conceptually fragmented, with limited integration across cognitive-developmental and behavioral ethics perspectives. Existing research often treats honesty as a situational or dispositional outcome without sufficiently examining the underlying moral reasoning processes that shape truthful conduct. Drawing on the cognitive-developmental theory of moral reasoning (Kohlberg, 1984) and the neo-Kohlbergian framework (Rest et al., 1999), alongside contemporary behavioral ethics insights (Treviño et al., 2006; Aquino & Reed, 2002), this conceptual paper proposes an integrative framework positioning moral reasoning as a foundational driver of honesty. The central argument asserts that higher stages of moral reasoning not only enhance ethical judgment but also strengthen internalized moral identity, thereby increasing the likelihood of honest behaviour across contexts. The paper advances a conceptual model that connects moral reasoning, moral identity, and situational moderators (e.g., organizational climate, social norms) to explain variations in honesty. This framework addresses a critical gap by synthesizing traditionally silo-ed theories into a cohesive explanatory structure. The contribution lies in re-conceptualizing honesty as a function of both cognitive moral development and identity-based motivation, offering a more nuanced understanding of ethical conduct. The paper holds significant implications for ethics education, organizational governance, and integrity-based leadership by emphasizing the cultivation of moral reasoning capacities as a pathway to fostering sustainable honesty in complex environments.