Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 8, 2026
06:42
Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses
Published on: September 28, 2018
12.3K
Why are conservatives more punitive than liberals? A moral foundations approach
Jasmine R Silver1, Eric Silver2
1School of Criminal Justice, University at Albany, SUNY.
Law and Human Behavior
|February 3, 2017
Summary
Moral foundations shape both conservative and liberal political attitudes. Group-focused morality increases punitive attitudes, while individual-focused morality decreases them, suggesting a spurious link between conservatism and punitiveness.
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Moral Psychology
- Political Psychology
Background:
- Morality is theorized to underpin ideological and punitive attitudes.
- Moral foundations research links group-oriented concerns to conservatism and individual-oriented concerns to liberalism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between moral foundations and punitive attitudes.
- To explore the mediating role of moral concerns in the conservatism-punitiveness link.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from two independent samples (N = 1,464 and N = 1,025).
- Assessed endorsement of group-oriented and individual-oriented moral concerns.
- Examined associations with conservative and punitive attitudes.
Main Results:
- Endorsement of group-oriented moral concerns correlated with more conservative and punitive attitudes.
- Endorsement of individual-oriented moral concerns correlated with less conservative and punitive attitudes.
- The link between conservatism and punitiveness appears partially spurious due to shared moral foundations.
Conclusions:
- Moral foundations significantly influence both ideological and punitive orientations.
- Group-oriented moral concerns promote punitiveness by framing crime as societal harm.
- Individual-oriented moral concerns reduce punitiveness by emphasizing offender and victim welfare.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Kohlberg's Theory of Moral Development
1.2K
Kohlberg's theory of moral development uses the Heinz dilemma — a thought experiment in which a man, Heinz, must decide whether to steal an unaffordable drug to save his dying wife — to illustrate the evolution of moral reasoning. This framework, divided into three levels with two stages, highlights how individuals' understanding of right and wrong becomes increasingly complex.
Pre-Conventional Level
At the pre-conventional level, morality is primarily driven by personal...
Pre-Conventional Level
At the pre-conventional level, morality is primarily driven by personal...
1.2K
01:19The Behavioral Perspective on Personality
909
Behaviorists view personality as primarily shaped by environmental reinforcements and consequences. According to this perspective, behavior is influenced by external stimuli, and individuals adjust their actions based on rewards and punishments. Over time, learning histories — accumulated patterns of reinforcement — play a significant role in shaping personality. Behaviors that lead to positive outcomes are reinforced, while those resulting in negative outcomes are diminished.
909
01:27Punishment
1.1K
Negative reinforcement and punishment are often confused but serve distinct functions in behavior modification. Reinforcement, whether positive or negative, increases the likelihood of a desired behavior, while punishment decreases it.
Punishment can be positive or negative. Positive punishment involves adding an undesirable stimulus, such as scolding, to decrease a behavior. Negative punishment involves removing a desirable stimulus, such as taking away a favorite toy, to decrease behavior....
Punishment can be positive or negative. Positive punishment involves adding an undesirable stimulus, such as scolding, to decrease a behavior. Negative punishment involves removing a desirable stimulus, such as taking away a favorite toy, to decrease behavior....
1.1K
01:23Criticisms of the Evolutionary Perspective
412
In a study where individuals posing as strangers offered compliments and proposed casual sex to students, the responses differed significantly based on gender. Not a single woman accepted the proposal, while 70% of the men agreed. This outcome provides a useful scenario to explore through the lens of evolutionary psychology and social learning theory, highlighting the diverse perspectives on human sexual behaviors.
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
Evolutionary psychology provides one explanation for these findings, suggesting...
412
01:30Self Within Cultural Contexts
268
Cultural frameworks for understanding the self are often categorized into two broad orientations: individualism and collectivism. These paradigms influence how people define themselves, relate to others, and interpret their social worlds. Each orientation offers distinct perspectives on autonomy, responsibility, and the role of the individual within a community.Individualistic CulturesIn individualistic cultures like North America and Western Europe, identity is understood as autonomous and...
268
01:17Correspondence Bias
291
Correspondence bias, also referred to as the fundamental attribution error, describes the tendency to attribute another person’s behavior to internal characteristics rather than situational influences. This cognitive bias leads individuals to overlook external factors that may be influencing actions, thereby fostering potentially inaccurate assessments of others’ intentions and dispositions.Empirical Evidence for Correspondence BiasResearch has consistently demonstrated the...
291