Shirai, R., & Watanabe, K. (2024).
Scientific Reports, 14(1).
Abstract
In recent decades, the field of moral psychology has focused on moral judgments based on some moral foundations/categories (e.g., harm/care, fairness/reciprocity, ingroup/loyalty, authority/respect, and purity/sanctity). When discussing the moral categories, however, whether a person judges moral compliance or moral violation has been rarely considered. We examined the extent to which moral judgments are influenced by each other across moral categories and explored whether the framework of judgments for moral violation and compliance would be different. For this purpose, we developed the episodes set for moral and affective behaviors. For each episode, participants evaluated valence, arousal, morality, and the degree of relevance to each of the Haidt's 5 moral foundations. The cluster analysis showed that the moral compliance episodes were divided into three clusters, whereas the moral violation episodes were divided into two clusters. Also, the additional experiment indicated that the clusters might not be stable in time. These findings suggest that people have different framework of judgments for moral compliance and moral violation.
Here are some thoughts:
This study investigates the nuances of moral judgment by examining whether people employ distinct frameworks when evaluating moral compliance versus moral violation. Researchers designed a series of scenarios encompassing moral and affective dimensions, and participants rated these scenarios across valence, arousal, morality, and relevance to Haidt's five moral foundations. The findings revealed that moral compliance and moral violation appear to be judged using different frameworks, as evidenced by the cluster analysis which showed different cluster divisions for compliance and violation episodes.
This research carries significant implications for psychologists, deepening our understanding of the complexities inherent in moral decision-making and extending the insights of theories like Moral Foundations Theory. Furthermore, the study provides valuable tools, such as the developed set of moral and affective scenarios, for future investigations in moral psychology. Ultimately, a more refined grasp of moral judgment processes can inform efforts to mediate conflicts and foster enhanced social understanding.
