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Related Experiment Video

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Task Interruption and Resumption Paradigm for Testing the Activation and Pursuit of an Abstract Thinking Goal
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Do Moral Beliefs Motivate Action?

Rodrigo Díaz1

  • 1Centre for Research in Ethics, University of Montreal, Montreal, Canada.

Ethical Theory and Moral Practice : an International Forum
|June 26, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Moral beliefs may not directly drive actions. Instead, strong moral emotions, not beliefs, appear to motivate behavior, especially in high-stakes situations. This research supports the Humean view of moral motivation.

Area of Science:

  • Moral Psychology
  • Philosophy of Mind
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Traditional arguments on moral motivation rely on hypothetical scenarios.
  • Empirical investigation into the link between moral beliefs and actions is lacking.
  • The role of emotions versus beliefs in driving moral behavior is debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To empirically investigate whether moral beliefs motivate action.
  • To examine the relationship between moral beliefs, moral emotions, and moral actions.
  • To test the Humean theory of moral motivation against alternative explanations.

Main Methods:

  • Three empirical studies were conducted.
  • Participants' moral beliefs and actions were measured.
  • The influence of co-occurring moral emotions was analyzed, particularly in high-stakes scenarios.
Keywords:
Experimental philosophyHumean theory of motivationMoral beliefsMoral emotionsMoral motivationSentimentalism

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Main Results:

  • Associations between moral beliefs and actions were found to be explained by independent moral emotions.
  • Moral emotions, rather than moral beliefs, showed a stronger correlation with action.
  • This effect was pronounced when participants faced high-stakes decisions.

Conclusions:

  • Moral beliefs appear to possess limited direct motivational power.
  • Moral emotions play a significant role in motivating moral action.
  • Findings support the Humean model where emotions are the primary drivers of moral behavior.