Ethics, Attitude and Public Service 07– Vocabulary Flashcards

Key concepts and scenarios

• Topic: Ethics, integrity, aptitude; crisis of conscience; distinguishing laws, rules, regulations, and conscience-driven decisions.
• Crisis of conscience: a dilemma where a choice is ethically correct but could bring near-term embarrassment or personal risk; requires weighing morality against self-interest or public opinion.
• Recap of case study premise: as a District Development Officer (DDO), you encounter tensions in rural areas where elders resist girls' education while younger generations seek equality; girls are harassed on the way to school, leading to boycotts of families sending girls to school. The task is to outline steps to protect girls’ safety without disrupting education.
• Emphasis on two essential preparatory steps for answering ethical questions:
  • Identify stakeholders involved.
  • Identify the ethical dilemma and required qualities (e.g., integrity, equality, non-discrimination).
• Core ethical values highlighted: integrity and gender equality (non-discrimination).
• Ethical dilemma framing: democracy vs morality; upholding majority preference vs upholding ethical duty to protect rights and safety.
• Practical answer structure introduced: categorize steps by time horizon (immediate, medium-term, long-term).
• Practical example ideas discussed (not exhaustive): CCTV on streets, law enforcement patrolling, self-defense training, awareness programs, hotlines, home-based education, community involvement, and targeted victim-support mechanisms.
• Cautions about feasibility: avoid over-ideal or unaffordable solutions; CCTV is practical first step; AI-based surveillance may have false positives and cost concerns; avoid misusing scarce funds like the Nirbhaya Fund for exclusive districts; prioritise feasible, scalable measures.
• Second case study introduction: a young civil servant witnesses or suspects domestic violence by a boss; the wife may be suffering; the challenge is how to respond while protecting the wife and safeguarding the public interest and the worker’s career.
• Stakeholders and dilemmas in Case 2:
  • Stakeholders: you (the employee), the boss, the wife; possibly HR, colleagues, and broader society when interventions involve reporting or mediation.
  • Ethical dilemma: moral integrity and professional ethics; protecting the victim while considering potential consequences for all parties and the employee’s own career and safety.
• Possible response options in Case 2, with pros/cons:
  • Do nothing or downplay: avoids immediate conflict but preserves the boss’s reputation and could enable ongoing abuse; risks moral guilt, legal exposure, and reputational damage if the issue becomes known.
  • Report to authority: aligns with legal/ethical duties; risks misuse of partial evidence, retaliation, and potential harm to the wife if not handled carefully; confidentiality and safety must be prioritized.
  • Innovative/indirect approaches: discreet information gathering, confidential counseling, attempting mediation, engaging HR or women’s commissions, and involving trusted relatives or support organizations; aims to protect the wife and address the situation without escalating risks to the reporter.
  • All approaches require balancing confidentiality, wife’s safety, and the reporter’s own professional and mental health.
• Practical advice for Case 2:
  • Gather evidence discreetly and verify information before taking formal action.
  • Maintain confidentiality; involve HR or appropriate authorities only when necessary to protect the wife.
  • Consider Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) and mediation with safeguards; avoid public shaming or unilateral actions that could endanger the wife.
  • If risk is high, involve law enforcement to ensure safety.
  • Avoid revealing the reporter’s identity; seek anonymous or confidential channels when possible.
• Basics of “attitude” in this course:
  • Attitude defined as a mental stance formed by beliefs, values, emotions, and behavioral tendencies toward people, ideas, or situations.
  • Attitude is a neutral term (positive, negative, or neutral); integrity is inherently positive.
  • Attitude development is shaped by beliefs and values over time; values guide attitudes and behaviors; beliefs form values; attitudes drive behavior.
• ABC model of attitude (three components):
  • Cognitive component: beliefs, thoughts, knowledge about an object or idea.
  • Affective (emotional) component: feelings toward the object.
  • Behavioral (anticipated behavior) component: intended actions toward the object.
  • Note: Some literature uses CAB order; transcript notes CAB as an alternative naming.
• Direct experience and environment as additional influence factors:
  • Direct experience (personal contact) can solidify attitudes (positive or negative).
  • Environment: family, peers, societal norms, culture, media; these shape attitudes beyond personal experience.
• Forms and implications of attitude:
  • Positive attitude helps in achieving goals, resilience, proactive behavior.
  • Negative attitude can cause stress, anxiety, poor decision-making; can hinder ethical action.
  • Neutral attitude can be justified in some contexts, but often leads to apathy or inefficiency.
• Specific examples discussed:
  • Misogyny and gender biases arise from negative attitudes toward women; can manifest in domestic violence or discriminatory practices.
  • The influence of beliefs on values (e.g., belief that true love means control in Kabir Singh example) shapes attitudes and subsequent behaviors.
  • Examples highlight how values like honesty, impartiality, and human dignity manifest in behavior and decision-making in public service.
• Functions of attitude (why attitudes exist or what they do):
  • Knowledge function: helps interpret and organize information; guides learning and attention.
  • Utilitarian function (instrumental): aligns attitudes with rewards or avoidance of punishment; motivation to gain favorable outcomes.
  • Ego-defensive function: protects self-esteem; justifies behavior to avoid guilt, sometimes leading to rationalizations.
  • Value-expressive function: attitudes express core personal values and beliefs; actions reflect and publicize these values.
• Types and domains of attitudes:
  • Moral attitude: based on principles of right and wrong; guides ethical behavior and decision-making.
  • Political attitude: predisposition toward political processes, policies, and institutions; shaped by ideology, media, upbringing, education, culture, profession, etc.
  • Democratic attitude: inclusivity, active listening, collaboration, participatory decision-making; transparency and accountability values; flexible actions and respectful communication.
  • Bureaucratic attitude: adherence to rules, formal procedures, efficiency, fairness; risk of rigidity and reduced empathy; balance with democratic elements is essential for good governance.
• Positive vs negative political attitudes:
  • Positive: constructive engagement, transparency, public welfare focus, engagement with RTI and reforms.
  • Negative: cynicism, obstructionism, cronyism, and erosion of public trust; potential alignment with corrupt practices.
• Factors that influence political attitude:
  • Ideology, media exposure, upbringing, education, environment, peer groups, culture, religion, socio-economic status, narrative influences, identity politics, and personal experiences.
• Social influence and persuasion as tools to shape attitudes and behavior:
  • Conformity: aligning with group norms to avoid being an outcast.
  • Compliance: yielding to direct requests; social pressure can prompt compliance without agreement.
  • Social pressure: normative expectations from society/family/colleagues.
  • Social comparison: evaluating oneself against others; can motivate or demotivate.
  • Persuasion techniques: active attempts to change beliefs, attitudes, motivations, or behaviors; future focus on ethos, pathos, and logos; note on ethical use and limits.
• Persuasion methods discussed:
  • Foot-in-the-door technique: start with a small request to pave the way for larger requests.
  • Door-in-the-face technique: begin with a large, likely-refused request, then retreat to a smaller, more reasonable one.
• Exam-oriented guidance given by the instructor:
  • In case studies, present answers in a mix of bullet points and paragraphs; highlight keywords when writing paragraphs.
  • For paper-and-pencil exams (GS-type papers), often more points than long paragraphs are preferred; use sub-points for clarity.
  • The focus should be on viable, practical solutions; avoid proposing high-cost or unrealistic measures.
  • Build answers around the core problem posed, not extraneous issues; ensure fidelity to the question.
  • Expect to discuss the relationship between personal ethics and professional ethics; strive for balance and practical recommendations.
• “Way forward” in attitude development for civil servants:
  • Positive attitude is crucial for public service; contributors include resilience, intrinsic motivation, work-life balance, continuous learning, mindful decision-making, empathy, integrity, accountability, and open-mindedness.
  • Concrete steps include capacity building (avoid the word training), self-reflection, mentorship, exposure to ground realities, constructive feedback, moral incentives, and role models.
  • Conclusion should restate that attitude shapes how a civil servant serves the public and upholds integrity in dynamic governance contexts.
• A few meta-points from the instructor:
  • Debates around uniform civil code (UCC): balance between equal rights and cultural/religious diversity; focus on dignity and equality, not wholesale reform; selective removal of practices that violate constitutional rights.
  • The aim is to respond to ethical concerns while preserving law and order, efficiency, and inclusivity.
  • Exam readiness: practice structured, pointed responses; mix forms; underline keywords; prioritize clear articulation of the problem, proposed actions, and justification.

Key formulas, numbers, and explicit references

• ABC model components (three constituents): Cognitive (C), Affective (A), Behavioral (B) — sometimes referred to as CAB.
  • Cognitive component: beliefs, thoughts, knowledge about an object or idea.
  • Affective component: feelings or emotions toward the object.
  • Behavioral component: intended or observed behavior toward the object (anticipated behavior).
  • Represented as a triad: C, A, B (or CAB).
• Time-framed steps for Case 1 decisions: immediate, medium-term, long-term.
• Numerical notation used in discussion explicitly only where the instructor framed three categories or three components; no standalone numerical formulas beyond the ABC triad and the three-term time horizon.

Connections to broader topics

• Ties to foundational principles of ethics: non-discrimination, fairness, dignity, public welfare, and integrity.
• Links to organizational behavior: how attitudes shape decisions, how social influence and persuasion affect policy uptake, and how ethical leadership is exercised in crises.
• Real-world relevance: if applied, these frameworks guide district-level action to protect vulnerable populations (girls in education), evaluate domestic-violence scenarios in workplaces, and shape professional conduct in public service.

Ethical, philosophical, and practical implications

• Practical ethics requires balancing competing duties: rights and safety of individuals (girls, victims) versus political will, democratic legitimacy, and resource constraints.
• Ethical decision-making emphasizes transparency, stakeholder engagement, and minimizing harm while maximizing public welfare.
• The discussion highlights the risk of rationalizing unethical acts (ego-defensive function) and the importance of accountability and whistleblowing when necessary.
• The role of public servants as agents of equity: demonstrate courage to uphold rights and dignity even when political or social pressure favors the status quo.

Connections to prior material and real-world relevance

• Builds on earlier sessions about how laws, rules, and regulations differ, and how conscience can create a crisis when making tough choices.
• Aligns with UPS/competitive-exam framing on crisis of conscience and ethical decision-making in governance.
• Emphasizes practical, implementable steps rather than aspirational, high-cost solutions; mirrors real-world constraints in developing regions.

Notes on structure and strategy for answering questions

• Start with a brief introduction outlining stakeholders and the ethical dilemma.
• Use a three-tier structure for action steps (immediate, medium-term, long-term) for situational questions.
• When discussing the second scenario, present pros/cons of each path (merits, demerits, and innovative approaches).
• Include a section on potential risks and safeguards (e.g., victim safety, confidentiality, legal considerations).
• In the attitude section, clearly delineate the ABC model and its functions; give concrete civil-service examples to illustrate how beliefs shape values, attitudes, and behaviors.
• For exam responses, maintain a balance of bullets and short paragraphs; highlight keywords; ensure alignment with the prompt and avoid extraneous detours.

Direct quotes and terminology to study from the transcript

• Crisis of conscience; democracy versus morality; two kinds of dilemmas (ethical values vs. majority preference).
• Stakeholders identified for Case 1 include: girls, elders, younger generation, district development officer, law enforcement agencies; NGOs may be considered later as stakeholders.
• Dilemmas: integrity, non-discrimination, gender equality; upholding morality over democratic majority when it conflicts with ethical duty.
• Immediate steps examples: enhanced security measures, patrols, safe transportation, rapid response (papper spray distribution), CCTV deployment over time, hotlines (toll-free numbers, WhatsApp), AI-assisted surveillance (noting practical constraints).
• Medium-term steps: community safety awareness programs, gradual CCTV, home-based education during safety concerns, family visits to build confidence, self-defense training.
• Long-term steps: victim-support mechanisms, community policing, continuous monitoring, scholarships/education incentives, NGO involvement, trusted local leaders’ engagement.
• Case 2 response toolkit: discreet information gathering, confidentiality, HR involvement, anonymous reporting when possible, mediation with safeguards, and legal action if needed for safety.
• Attitude components: Cognitive (beliefs), Affective (emotions), Behavioral (intended actions); ABC model; alternative CAB ordering.
• Functions of attitude: Knowledge, Utilitarian (instrumental), Ego-defensive, Value-expressive.
• Types of attitudes: Moral, Political, Democratic vs. Bureaucratic; Positive vs. Negative vs. Neutral.
• Social influence and persuasion: Conformity, Compliance, Social pressure, Social comparison; persuasion techniques (foot-in-the-door, door-in-the-face).
• Exam guidance: mix of bullet points and paragraphs, underline keywords, prioritize viable, practical suggestions.