Avoiding ethical temptations

•We offer a self-control framework to study when people resist ethical temptations.•2 factors contribute to ethical behavior: dilemma identification, exercising self-control.•3 factors help identification: broad bracket, connectedness, self-diagnosticity.•2 factors help exercising self-control: advanced warning, self-control strategies.

This article offers a self-control framework for understanding when people resist ethical temptations. We propose that two factors contribute to a person's ability to overcome the temptation to engage in unethical behavior: first, the identification of an ethical dilemma and second, the exercise of self-control to overcome temptation. We review factors involved in identifying ethical dilemmas — broad decision frame (bracket), psychological connectedness, and high self-diagnosticity — and factors that facilitate responding with self-control — advanced warning of temptation and the employment of self-control strategies. We discuss implications for increasing ethical decisions.