Appraisals explain how moral events elicit emotions

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Moral Psychology

Background:

• Appraisal is key to emotion theories, explaining varied emotional responses.
• Research on moral emotions has largely overlooked appraisal dimensions.
• Existing theories of moral emotions inadequately account for appraisal's role.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of appraisal dimensions in explaining diverse emotional responses to moral events.
• To account for the complex relationship between moral events and emotional outcomes.
• To provide a framework for integrating appraisal into moral emotion research.

Main Methods:

• Four studies were conducted, utilizing appraisal dimensions to analyze moral events and emotions.
• Studies 1 and 2 examined participants' emotional responses and associated appraisals.
• Study 3 involved experimental manipulation of events to influence appraisals and emotions.
• Study 4 analyzed appraisal-emotion links in real-world events surrounding the 2020 US presidential election.

Main Results:

• Individuals exhibit a wider range of emotional responses to moral events than previously understood.
• Appraisal dimensions significantly accounted for these diverse emotional reactions.
• Appraisals of personal value amplified negative emotions; control, unexpectedness, and uncertainty differentiated specific emotions like anger, disgust, surprise, and fear.
• Experimental manipulation of appraisal dimensions led to increased corresponding appraisals and emotions.

Conclusions:

• Appraisal dimensions are crucial for understanding the multifaceted nature of moral emotions.
• The findings necessitate the incorporation of appraisal into future research on moral emotions.
• A comprehensive framework is proposed for integrating appraisal dimensions into the study of moral emotions.