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Free will belief predicts everyday punitiveness across 44 countries
Aaron Walton1, Kelly Kirkland2, Brock Bastian1
1Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
The British Journal of Social Psychology
|July 20, 2026
Summary
Belief in free will predicts greater punishment for moral wrongs across cultures. This suggests that reducing belief in free will might decrease punitive responses in everyday situations.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Moral Psychology
- Cross-Cultural Psychology
Background:
- Belief in free will is associated with punitive attitudes.
- Previous research primarily examined criminal contexts and Western samples.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cross-cultural relationship between free will belief and punitiveness.
- To examine this link in the context of everyday moral transgressions.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed 8917 participants across 44 countries.
- Utilized validated measures for free will belief and punitiveness.
- Employed multilevel analysis to account for cultural variations.
Main Results:
- Stronger belief in free will was significantly correlated with more punitive responses.
- This association held true across diverse cultural contexts.
- The effect was observed for everyday moral transgressions, not just severe crimes.
Conclusions:
- Belief in free will is a robust, cross-cultural predictor of punitiveness towards minor moral failings.
- Findings suggest potential benefits of mitigating free will beliefs in certain social contexts to foster less punitive attitudes.
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