Why Are General Moral Values Poor Predictors of Concrete Moral Behavior in Everyday Life? A Conceptual Analysis and Empirical Study

Abstract

Within moral psychology, theories focusing on the conceptualization and empirical measurement of people’s morality in terms of general moral values –such as Moral Foundation Theory- (implicitly) assume general moral values to be relevant concepts for the explanation and prediction of behavior in everyday life. However, a solid theoretical and empirical foundation for this idea remains work in progress. In this study we explore this relationship between general moral values and daily life behavior through a conceptual analysis and an empirical study. Our conceptual analysis of the moral value-moral behavior relationship suggests that the effect of a generally endorsed moral value on moral behavior is highly context dependent. It requires the manifestation of several phases of moral decision-making, each influenced by many contextual factors. We expect that this renders the empirical relationship between generic moral values and people’s concrete moral behavior indeterminate. Subsequently, we empirically investigate this relationship in three different studies. We relate two different measures of general moral values -the Moral Foundation Questionnaire and the Morality As Cooperation Questionnaire- to a broad set of self-reported morally relevant daily life behaviors (including adherence to COVID-19 measures and participation in voluntary work). Our empirical results are in line with the expectations derived from our conceptual analysis: the considered general moral values are poor predictors of the selected daily life behaviors. Furthermore, moral values that were tailored to the specific context of the behavior showed to be somewhat stronger predictors. Together with the insights derived from our conceptual analysis, this indicates the relevance of the contextual nature of moral decision-making as a possible explanation for the poor predictive value of general moral values. Our findings suggest that the investigation of morality’s influence on behavior by expressing and measuring it in terms of general moral values may need revision.

Young Adults’ Perceptions of Intergenerational Solidarity and Conflict: The Renegotiation of Compliance with Restrictions During the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The narratives reveal a discrepancy between moral foundations and actual behaviour, a tendency also noted by Van den Berg et al (2022). While the young adults considered adherence to the regulations important in light of their moral foundations, sometimes their situations or choices were partly in conflict with these foundations.…”

“…The longer the regulations lasted, the wearier many became, and some loosened the reins. Holding certain moral values, thus, did not always lead to corresponding behaviour (see also Van den Berg et al, 2022). This finding calls into question moral foundations as a static concept in a rapidly changing context.…”

“…While moral foundations are generally rather stable, contextual conditions can influence moral behaviours (Cieciuch, 2017; Francis & McNabb, 2022; Van den Berg et al, 2022). In the context of COVID-19, social interactions between individuals or within communities can influence social norms and, by extension, affect how moral foundations are translated into behaviour, often through social pressure (Prosser et al, 2020).…”