When Your Friend is My Friend: How Loyalty Prompts Support for Indirect Ties in Moral Dilemmas.

This article investigates how loyalty to a direct social tie, referred to as a "broker," can extend obligations of support to an indirect tie accused of wrongdoing, thereby facilitating networks that protect wrongdoers beyond their immediate relationships. Across 11 preregistered studies involving over 2,200 participants—including experiments and a field study in a fraternity setting—the research demonstrates that individuals loyal to a broker are more likely to vocally support an accused indirect tie, regardless of the type or strength of evidence against the accused. This effect is mediated by increased benevolence-based trust in the broker, perceived value alignment with the broker, and relational concerns about not fulfilling loyalty obligations; however, it is weakened when the broker has a reputation for divisive brokering that undermines trust. The findings contribute to understanding loyalty's moral psychology, brokering dynamics, social norms in ethical dilemmas, and ethical voice, highlighting how loyalty can inadvertently sustain unethical behavior through broader social networks in organizational contexts.