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A Theory of Moral Praise
Rajen A Anderson1, Molly J Crockett2, David A Pizarro1
1Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
|July 20, 2020
Summary
People attribute moral praise differently than blame. Research suggests praise is mainly for building relationships, unlike blame which focuses on punishment and signaling moral character.
Area of Science:
- Psychology (Social, Cognitive, Developmental, Consumer)
Background:
- Limited research exists on moral praise attribution compared to moral blame.
- Recent work suggests moral praise is a unique moral attribution, not just the positive counterpart to blame.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how individuals attribute moral praise.
- To understand the unique psychological functions of moral praise.
Main Methods:
- This study synthesizes recent psychological research on moral attribution.
Main Results:
- Moral praise and blame attributions are asymmetric.
- Blame primarily serves punishment and moral character signaling.
- Praise primarily functions to facilitate relationship building.
Conclusions:
- Moral praise is a distinct psychological construct with unique social functions.
- Understanding praise attribution is crucial for comprehending social interactions and moral judgments.
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