Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026

Exploring the Role of Deontic Reasoning and World Knowledge in Wason´s Selection Task
Published on: July 22, 2025
Moral context matters: a reply to Graham
Ronnie Janoff-Bulman1, Nate C Carnes
1Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Tobin Hall, Amherst, MA 01002, USA. janbul@psych.umass.edu
Abstract:
In response to Graham's comments, we attempt to clarify aspects of the Model of Moral Motives (MMM). The columns of our model represent three primary contexts for morality, involving behaviors focused on the self, another person, and one's group. The rows of MMM represent proscriptive morality and prescriptive morality, which broadly reflect motives to protect (from harm) and provide (help); these general motives have distinct manifestations depending on context (i.e., the columns of MMM). The article addresses misunderstandings in Graham's interpretation of MMM and includes discussions of criteria for categorizing prescriptive versus proscriptive moral motives, the central role of restrictiveness in proscriptive moral regulation, an inconsistency that provides support for the inclusion of group-based Social Justice, and further distinctions between Social Order and Social Justice informed by recent cross-cultural research.
Related Concept Videos
Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development
Pre-Conventional Level
At the pre-conventional level, morality is primarily driven by personal consequences. In Stage...
Ethical Dilemmas II
Ethical Issues
Ethical Concerns in Healthcare:
Ethical Dilemmas I
Let us explore some examples to understand the potentially complex moral decisions nurses face.
Take the case of caring for minors, particularly in areas related to reproductive...
Social Foundations of Self II: The Generalized Other
Ethics and Bioethics

