Thus, ethical principles set the stage upon which significant decision-making is based since these allow for action evaluations relating to justice, fairness, and regard for the other. Thus, these help the individual derive the output of the choice, therefore leading to proper calibration against moral standards and building trust and accountability within the society. Ethical principles further compel the consideration of other perspectives, especially with regard to the greater good as opposed to individual gain.

Most of the times that people are faced with issues of morality, they enter into a conflict between personal values and public norms. The process of balancing these requires critical thought and empathy; individual beliefs and experiences form personal values that give a sense of reality and self-consistency, while public norms represent a collective standard of what promotes social cohesion and therefore require reconciliation. Here, an individual can engage in reflective dialogue in search of solutions that sustain personal integrity and broad ethical implications of their action.

Finally, the ethical decision-making thus becomes intertwined with complications associated with truthfulness, kindness, and devotion to principles that promote individual and collective good.