The morality of organization versus organized members: Organizations are attributed more control and responsibility for negative outcomes than are equivalent members.

Seven experiments demonstrate that framing an organizational entity (the target) as an organization (an organization comprised of its constituent null versus its members (constituent members comprising an organization) increases attribution of responsibility to the target following a negative outcome, despite identical information conveyed. Specifically, the target in the organization (vs. members) frame was perceived to have more control over a...