What is right and what is wrong relates to who you are and where you belong: Unpacking the psychology of morality

Abstract

The topic of morality – generally referring to the distinction between “right” versus “wrong” ways to behave – is undoubtedly one of the hottest and most investigated in contemporary social psychology. A recent review highlights the exponential increase in the interest of researchers in the psychology of morality since 2005, the rate of which is disproportionately larger than the overall increase in publications in social psychology. Moral reasoning relates to the application of abstract moral principles as well as specific life experiences or religious and political identities, that people use to locate themselves in the world. Moral judgments refer to the perceived dispositions and behaviours of other individuals, groups, or companies in terms of their morality. Moral emotions concern the emotional responses that are seen to characterize moral situations. They are commonly used to diagnose the moral implications in terms of emotional rewards and punishments of different events.